During Wednesday’s Senate Banking Committee hearing, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) spoke about the need for wildfire prevention and suppression efforts.
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00:00Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you for having this important hearing.
00:04It's an important topic, and I think we all agree it's something that needs to be addressed.
00:09I want to talk about, I'm from Nevada, wildfires are longer, hotter, it's happening now,
00:14and this is a problem with our insurance costs as well, so I appreciate the conversation today.
00:19I also appreciate the conversation about fuel reduction, because that's what needs to happen as part of this mitigation effort.
00:24I want to point out to my colleagues, Senator Tim Sheehy and I have a Western Wildfire Support Act that we have introduced.
00:33I welcome them to join me.
00:35It provides communities across the western United States with additional resources to help prevent wildfires before they start,
00:43to combat those that do spark and help communities touched by wildfire recover and rebuild.
00:49I also just have to point out that the collective work we've done in a bipartisan way in the bipartisan infrastructure package
00:57was to deliver about $8 billion for wildfire prevention and suppression.
01:04It was important for us for the very reasons that you're all talking about,
01:08and I have to say I'm disappointed because I have just learned and heard reports of terminated employees
01:15that agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service who are working to protect the west from these wildfires.
01:23I have also learned how Elon Musk and Doge has cut federal funds for wildfire mitigation.
01:30They've issued stop work orders to small businesses and organizations removing fuels from public lands,
01:37along with firing thousands of Forest Service and DOI employees.
01:41I think we just, we've got to get back on track here for the very reasons that you're all talking about.
01:45I just came from Nevada.
01:47I'm hearing in my state as well about the high cost of insurance.
01:53Ms. Supervisor Paiska and Mr. Gordon, let me ask you about this.
01:56I've also heard from insurance professionals in my state about insurance discrimination against first-time homebuyers.
02:04Insurers can deny a first-time homebuyer a policy simply because they lack prior insurance history,
02:12which negatively impacts their insurance score.
02:15Is this true?
02:16And should insurance policies be based on the risk profile of the house?
02:22Isn't that where it should be, rather than if the buyer is a first-time homeowner?
02:26And let me start, Supervisor Paiska, with you, and then I'll ask you, Mr. Gordon, as well, to answer.
02:31Thank you, Senator.
02:32I am not aware of that in my county, but I'm happy to look into it and get back to you.
02:41I appreciate that.
02:41Mr. Gordon, are you hearing anything like that?
02:44I have not heard about that issue.
02:46Certainly, both the homeowner and the home are relevant to the risks.
02:50Some homeowners do a better job of taking care of their property than others,
02:54but I have not heard of that specific problem, but we'd be happy to work with your office to see if there are any issues we can help address.
03:03And then let me jump back to Supervisor Paiska.
03:06Can you discuss the strategy of insuring homes on a house-by-house basis rather than a zip code to account for owners who have made investments in resiliency?
03:16Would this more accurate estimation help expand access to affordable insurance options?
03:21Thank you, Senator.
03:25Certainly, hardening house-by-house is a good approach, but what we're trying to do in my county is cluster-harden entire communities with wraparound fire breaks
03:35so that that entire community is resilient, so evacuation corridors are safe, so that the community doesn't become more fuel.
03:45Right, and Mr. Gordon, would that make a difference?
03:47Would that help lower insurance costs if insurance companies saw this mitigation and what the work is being done in a neighborhood?
03:53Yes, yes, it would.
03:54And in particular, I mentioned earlier, one of the most cost-effective fire safety measures is clearing a five-foot defensible perimeter.
04:01The problem is if you do that and your neighbors don't, then you're still vulnerable.
04:05So a lot of these fire safety measures, it's really important that the community does it in addition to the individual homeowner.
04:12And I have to agree with Senator Rounds.
04:14I do think there is a role for us at a federal level, but also at the state level, our state insurance commissioners,
04:19who I know in Nevada I've already been talking with my state insurance commissioner.
04:23I do think it is important for us to make sure we're addressing those concerns.
04:28I just have to say thank you for being here.
04:31This is the number one topic I hear at home for so many reasons.
04:35In the West, it is the wildfires.
04:37Obviously, in other geographic locations, there are different extreme weathers that are having an impact,
04:42but we need to address it, and we need to do it in a collaborative effort.
04:45So thank you for being here.
04:47Thank you, ma'am.
04:49Senator Bernie Marino.
04:50Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, for having...