Sen. Cantwell's Statement on House Republicans'Decision to Block the Farm Bill's Fire Safety Provisions

Today, House Republicans refused to agree on a Sen. Cantwell's fire safety provision in the farm bill being negotiated by the House-Senate conference committee because they could not reach a compromise with Democrats on stewardship contracting authority. Cantwell's amendment would have required independent investigations of Forest Service firefighter fatalities in the line of duty.

Senator Cantwell's statement:

"Today, House Republicans decided to hold important fire safety legislation hostage to their campaign to allow private companies to increase profits from public lands.

"This decision is a setback in our efforts to reform the Forest Service's culture in the wake of the Thirtymile Fire.

"My fire safety amendment would have injected independence into the investigations of forest fire fatalities by requiring the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate any future deaths of forest firefighters in the line duty.

"I will not give up the fight to pass the legislation."

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