I recently stated my strong opposition to the announcement that $2.7 million in stimulus funding intended specifically for reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfires on national forest lands was instead going to fund parks in the District of Columbia - which has neither national forests nor wildfires. It was a classic example of wasteful spending in Washington. Fortunately, during debate on the annual appropriations bill that funds wildland fires and forest management activities, the Senate voted to pass an amendment introduced by Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming to prohibit these funds from being spent on parks and recreation activities in Washington, D.C.

I was extremely pleased to see the passage of Senator Barrasso’s amendment and I subsequently joined several of my colleagues in expressing our support for it as House and Senate negotiators work to resolve differences in the appropriations bills passed by each chamber. This amendment will reverse this example of frivolous and wasteful spending and help ensure that these funds are used for their intended purpose: to address the risk of catastrophic wildfires that threaten our public lands and communities in California and throughout the west.