Senate Erupts As Patty Murray Challenges John Hoeven’s Canada Wildfire Motion | US News

[00:00:00]and I ask for unanimous consent to adopt the resolution I have introduced, calling on the Government of Canada to take stronger action to prevent and combat the almost annual forest fires, the smoke from which crosses the border and covers a large part of the United States.

[00:00:15]Over the past few days, more than 100 million people across the country have been under air quality warnings due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. This smoke has a real impact on the health and well-being of individuals and families. In my home state of North Dakota, we are very familiar with this problem.

[00:00:37]Unfortunately, in recent years we have been seeing smoky skies in the summer due to forest fires in Canada. The United States and Canada have a long and close relationship based on our shared values and interests. I know this because I grew up 50 miles from the border. But, having a shared border between the United States and Canada, we must manage it for the benefit of the people living in both countries. We know that, I mean, we have waters that flow into Canada. We're constantly working on water quality issues and all that kind of stuff. We understand that what we do here in the United States, of course, also affects our friends in Canada. Therefore, we sympathize with the residents of Canada whose homes and communities have been directly affected by the fires. We also express our gratitude to the thousands of firefighters and rescue workers who work to extinguish wildfires, protecting lives and property in dangerous conditions.

[00:01:39]At the same time, we need responsible forest management, including reducing hazardous fuels, timber harvesting, livestock grazing, and other forest restoration practices that help reduce the severity and frequency of catastrophic fires. With over 3,640 wildfires in Canada this year alone, it is clear that more needs to be done to prevent and stop them. And indeed, in the United States, we have worked for many years to help our Canadian friends fight these fires. But more action is definitely needed.

[00:02:16]So the resolution I introduced involves three steps. In particular, it recognizes the significant impact of smoke from Canadian wildfires on the safety, health, and well-being of the American people. And she calls on the Canadian government to take responsibility for the transboundary impact of these fires, including immediate efforts to extinguish them and prevent a recurrence. Finally, the resolution calls on President Trump to discuss with Canadian Prime Minister Carney the importance of extinguishing these fires and finding ways to prevent them from happening again. This is something we can and must do together for the mutual benefit of both of our great countries.

[00:03:10]So, Mr. President, at this time, as if in a legislative session and notwithstanding Rule 22, I ask for unanimous consent for the Senate to proceed to consider Senate Resolution 811, which is on the table. I also ask that the resolution be adopted, the preamble agreed to, and the motion for reconsideration deemed made and deferred without any further action or debate. Are there any objections? Senator from Washington.

[00:03:49]Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I will ask quite bluntly: what on earth are my colleagues doing here? I don't understand why Republicans are focused on making such a petty and insulting statement to Canada that they should do a better job of containing the smoke from forest fires, as if the Canadian government is only allowing its forests to burn and its own citizens to breathe the smoke to our detriment.

[00:04:13]It's just a joke.

[00:04:15]My colleagues across the room may not realize it, but Canadian firefighters are constantly crossing the border to help us fight our wildfires right here. And you know what? Our firefighters do the same when they have the opportunity. Actually, for the information of all senators, a firefighter who was helping us put out a forest fire in Colorado recently died. He was from British Columbia. We don't pass resolutions here telling our friends and neighbors to deal better with smoke from forest fires. And maybe someone should have informed the president and my colleagues, but smoke from wildfires in the United States often drifts into Canada. This is happening right now as wildfires burn in Oregon and Washington. I think what this is really about is saying to Trump, "Mr. President, look how much we agree with you." This is a waste of everyone's time. So, with respect to my colleagues, and understanding that time in the Senate chamber is valuable, here are my suggestions.

[00:05:23]Maybe we should pass a law to rehire all the "red card" professionals fired by Trump.

[00:05:30]These are Forest Service employees trained to help us fight wildfires.

[00:05:36]Or how about passing legislation to end the Trump administration’s so- called reorganization of the Forest Service, which would actually lead to the closure of offices across the country, including the scientific labs that help us study fires, and the layoff of even more employees? Or perhaps, instead of granting Trump's outrageous request for a $ 1.5 trillion military budget, Republicans could work with us to properly fund our needs at home. Our Forest Service, here in the United States, is desperately short of staff and resources.

[00:06:12]My colleagues may not realize it, but Trump's chaotic cuts and funding freezes, along with mass layoffs, have actually damaged our public lands and left us less prepared to prevent and respond to wildfires here at home. I remember talking to a Forest Service ranger last year. He was a dedicated employee for many years. He was a former Marine.

[00:06:35]He served our country in many ways and did an incredible job.

[00:06:42]He literally saved people's lives on forest trails, fought forest fires, and even saved a small rural town in my state from burning down completely.

[00:06:52]Do you know what happened to him? Trump and the administration fired him. Without any reason, they were simply fired. This was a huge loss for our state and for our country. So I want our colleagues to take forest fires seriously. And I'll just say this: the president should apologize to our Canadian neighbors for the numerous threats and insults. And, of course, cancel those absurd tariffs that he is introducing amid these fires. I don't expect this, so enough tricks, Mr. President. Do you want to work together to prevent fires?

[00:07:24]My door is open and I hope we can all collaborate to make this happen. But I'll tell you what I'm not going to do: insult our Canadian friends to flatter a president who does nothing but threaten our neighbors. Thank you, Mr. President. I deny it.

[00:07:40]Objection accepted.

[00:07:42]Mr. President, if I may, I'm wondering if my colleague heard the speech I just gave. I think I want to repeat it because maybe she missed it. Uh, the United States and Canada—that's what I said. So, I can't think of a bigger distortion of what I just said. And I'm not even sure why. I mean, if she wanted to come out and criticize our president, that's fine. She can do it, I guess, whenever she wants, if that's what she wants to do. But I think it's unfair to completely distort my words. So I'm going to repeat what I said a minute ago, for the record. The United States and Canada have a long and close relationship based on our shared values and interests. I even mentioned growing up 50 miles from the Canadian border. I've traveled to Canada back and forth so many times I can't even count. Um, but I'll continue with the shared border between the United States and Canada, we want to manage it for the benefit of the people who live in both countries. We sympathize with those in Canada whose homes and communities have been directly affected by the fires. I am reading from a speech I just wrote, about which I have heard distorted interpretations. We also express our gratitude to the thousands of firefighters and rescue workers who work to combat wildfires, protecting lives and property in dangerous conditions.

[00:09:09]At the same time, we need responsible forest management, including reducing hazardous fuels, timber harvesting, livestock grazing, and other forest restoration activities that help reduce the severity and frequency of catastrophic fires. With over 3,640 wildfires in Canada this year alone, it is clear that more needs to be done to prevent and stop these fires.

[00:09:32]This is what I am calling for. And in the resolution itself, um, I make it clear that this is important for both countries. So again, you know, I think if my colleague wanted to raise an objection, I understand that she has the right to do so. But I think it's unfair to characterize this any differently than what I'm saying about the need for more action on these wildfires.

[00:09:59]Now, if she thinks we don't need more action on these wildfires, that's perfectly fine. Good. But it shouldn't distort what I'm trying to do, which is to draw attention to the fact that we need to work harder to avoid such fires in the future, and that it's mutually beneficial for both of our nations. And on that note, Mr. President, I turn the floor over to my colleague, the honorable Senator from Ohio.

[00:10:29]Senator, will you allow me to answer? Before you pass the word.

[00:10:35]Wait.

[00:10:35]I'm just me, Mr. President.

[00:10:37]Senator from Washington.

[00:10:39]Mr. President, let me tell my friend—and he is a friend—that I hear his calm, measured tone. I appreciate it. This is not something we hear often here. But I will say this: the words you hear in this resolution, if you are Canadian, sound like an insult, as if you are not trying to fight your own wildfires. And I'll tell you this: I'm working tirelessly to help us fight our wildfires.

[00:11:05]Our Canadian friends are doing the same, and I think that in this stressful time, when —I also live near the border. We have a lot of trade with our Canadian friends. We are constantly going back and forth.

[00:11:16]They feel very offended by everything that is happening. So, I think this just adds fuel to the fire. So I say to my colleague: let's work to ensure that in our country we fight our forest fires, which I already mentioned in my answer to you, listing certain steps. And I believe our Canadian friends are doing the same. But that's why I'm objecting now. Thank you.

[00:11:40]Colleague from Washington, we are working together on many important things. I appreciate it.

[00:11:47]I think we're both from border states and we realize the importance of this incredible connection and relationship that we have with our friends in Canada. And I want to make it clear that I have immense respect, gratitude, and admiration for our friends and allies. And that it's about working together for mutual benefit. And now I turn the floor over to my good friend and colleague from Ohio State.

[00:12:11]Mr. Chairman.

[00:12:12]Senator from Ohio.

[00:12:14]Very briefly, let me clarify a few points. This resolution is not intended to offend Canadians. This resolution aims to expose Canada's incompetent leaders. I have complete and utter respect for the people of Canada. Unfortunately, they fell victim to terrible leaders. And just turn a blind eye to the fact that they just dumped on your state and my state, Mr. Speaker, the equivalent of a year's worth of automobile pollution in the American Midwest, and pretend that this isn't a man-made problem. They have no centralized response. This idea that they helped us is completely false. They charge us money to come to the US to help put out our forest fires. Which, by the way, are also caused by incompetence in Washington, Oregon, and California. And when our firefighters asked to go to Canada to help them, they wouldn't let them in. So this is a completely man-made disaster, but it was not caused by the people of Canada, but by the leaders of Canada, and shame on them, and shame on anyone who justifies what they are doing to the people of our states.