WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Sen. Alex Padilla issued the following press release:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, along with U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-Utah), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), announced the Wildland Firefighter Health and Safety Act, bipartisan legislation that would address the long-overdue gaps in health and safety protections that wildland firefighters receive. U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.-03) is leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
For nearly 30 years, federal agencies have had clear data showing the serious health risks wildland firefighters face on the job while working in dangerou...