California Governor Gavin Newsom adds wildfire funding to a special session aimed at countering federal challenges as fires rage in Los Angeles.
Newsom’s decision got a thumbs up from Democratic leaders. They’re facing some heat from Republicans for a $50 million deal aimed at strengthening legal defenses against the incoming administration. These fires could end up being some of the most expensive in U.S. history.
By including disaster aid in this session, Democrats can spotlight Trump’s threats to cut federal relief for California. Newsom has been vocal about how Trump might complicate the state’s response to disasters, though he didn’t dwell on that in his announcement.
He mentioned, “California is organizing a Marshall Plan to help Los Angeles rebuild faster and stronger.” He’s talking about billions in new funding to help those who’ve lost everything in these fires. Newsom reassured Angelenos, saying, “We have your back.”
The proposal includes at least $2.5 billion for wildfire efforts. This includes fast-tracking $1 billion in emergency aid and setting aside another $1.5 billion for preparedness programs.
The emergency funding could be reimbursed by FEMA, but there’s chatter about tying disaster aid to a debt ceiling increase, which could complicate things. Newsom has been in talks with legislative leaders about whether a special session just for fires was necessary.
While lawmakers can allocate fire money without a special session, it helps them rally around urgent proposals. There’s no deadline set for passing this package, but Democrats were hoping to have legal funding ready before Trump’s inauguration.
Half of the $50 million will go to the state Department of Justice to fight the federal government, while the rest will support nonprofits helping immigrants facing tough situations. As Senate Budget Committee Chair Scott Wiener put it, California is dealing with two huge challenges: wildfires and a federal administration that might make recovery harder.
