The officials highlighted President Trump’s stated commitment with disaster efforts, but noted the absence of specific provisions in the administration’s proposal.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and County Supervisor Kathryn Barger are pressing members of Congress to add substantial disaster relief for victims of the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades wildfires to a major federal supplemental funding package.
In a series of letters dated July 10, Bass and Barger urged lawmakers to include $15.7 billion — the combined request from the city and county — in the next supplemental appropriations bill. The request comes after President Donald Trump submitted a $87.6 billion supplemental funding package to Congress that did not mention aid for the two major Southern California wildfires.
The officials thanked lawmakers for their prior support in the wildfire recovery and highlighted President Trump’s stated commitment to assist with disaster efforts. However, they noted the absence of specific provisions in the administration’s proposal.
“These funds will be used by the local governments to restore critical infrastructure, rebuild parks, schools, and senior centers, provide residents with much-needed housing and financial support, as well as revitalize economic and business corridors needed to support our communities,” the letters state.
The correspondence was sent to California’s U.S. senators, including Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, as well as numerous House members from the Los Angeles region, including Reps. Nanette Barragán, Julia Brownley, Judy Chu, Gilbert Cisneros, Laura Friedman, Robert Garcia, Jimmy Gomez, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Ted Lieu, Jay Obernolte, Luz Rivas, Linda Sánchez, Brad Sherman, Norma Torres, Derek Tran, Maxine Waters and George Whitesides.
Similar letters went to congressional leadership — Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries — and to the leaders of the Appropriations Committees: Sens. Susan Collins and Patty Murray and Reps. Tom Cole and Rosa DeLauro.
