Pelosi Remarks Following Roundtable on Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire

Albuquerque, NM – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández and survivors of the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire for a roundtable on how the fire has affected their lives, communities and livelihoods. Below are the Speaker's remarks at a press availability following the event:

Speaker Pelosi. Thank you very much, Congresswoman Leger Fernández, for your great leadership in all of this. Clearly listening, Congresswoman Leger Fernández has been a real champion in the Congress. She's in her first term, but you would never know it, when you see the record of accomplishments she has. And Congresswoman Leger Fernández has also been a Representative. That is the job title, but it's also the job description. She has represented the concerns of her constituents and of the State of New Mexico. And what was very clear today, when we heard directly from many people affected by the fire, that she has been telling their story as their Representative in Washington, D.C. – in the United States Capitol.

So, Congresswoman Leger Fernández, thank you for your leadership. Thank you for the invitation. You began the meeting today by saying, ‘Buenos dias,' and also, ‘This is a day that God has given us.' We thank God for this day and every day, but for me, it was one of great inspiration, great information and great admiration for the people who came and talked to us. We had – we heard from the children. The future belongs to them. They, as Congresswoman Leger Fernández has said, they're told by their elders, not so much old, but elders, that these were waters they will fish with their children and grandchildren.

So the Indian Country community has always been about many generations. So that's why we're grateful to Mr. Canfield, to Mr. Chairman, for the hospitality extended here, but also the pride that we see in the community. I will say this, again, that I have been told by indigenous communities all over the world, and certainly in our own country, and certainly in my own District in California, that you really cannot understand the habitat, the respect that indigenous communities have for their habitat, unless you are a member of the indigenous community. So listen and learn from them. And I certainly did today.

But we – again, I want to point out that President Biden has been on the forefront of so many of these issues, because they relate to justice and equity, and respect for diversity in new and fresh and different ways, in an entrepreneurial way. So that when a disaster strikes, of course, there's an obligation that the government has to meet the needs of the people, but we want that meeting of the needs to be equitable, to be fast, to be clear, and to, again, have outreach so that individuals can know how they can get the benefits, as communities, towns and cities and counties know how to access.

So it's about time, everything's about time. It's about time we do this right. And that's not what happened with the [Forest] Service with this fire. There is a recognition that this was avoidable, and that makes it shameful. But that makes it all the more reason for us to learn from it immediately.

So I want to just say how proud I am that James gave me this shirt that his mother made. New Mexico's largest wildfire in the year [2022]. That is of course, Calf [Canyon]/Hermit's Peak Fire. #MoraStrong. Thank you, James. Thank you so much. Thank you again for that. It's beautiful. And, again, I'll take this and display it with great pride when we have our conversations in the Capitol [on] how we go forward.

But I want to, again, thank you, Congresswoman Leger Fernández – for her great leadership. She, along with the other Members of Congress, and I want to point out your Governor as well, a former Member, Michelle Lujan Grisham, who was relentless in her advocacy for this great state. Our two Senators, who have been Members of the House before they went to the Senate, and great advocates. And Congresswoman Stansbury as well, a new, another new Member of Congress. These two in their first term – this tragedy struck, they were ready to be helpful.

So I thank them, because whether we're talking about resilient and regenerative agriculture – where's Sarah? Sarah? She's over there. Sarah, thank you for that. Whether we're talking about what we learned – we learned about water and how that has happened, reforestation, the list goes on and on.

But you have to know that, hearing from the children, the trauma, that this has impacted the – you can rebuild, you can do this and that. But the trauma is something that has to be recognized. And the only antidote to that is prayer, and the community is used to that and blessings. But also to quickly solve the problem and show that, if anything, to avoid anything like this happening again in the future.

Later in the day, we'll be introducing our Continuing Resolution. I was hoping it would be by now, but it'll be by this evening. And at that time, we'll be happy to announce what is in the bill, to be a very big start for what needs to be done to make people as whole as possible. Never caught totally, because you can't replace what you've lost in many respects. But you can build a better and new future. And that's what we owe you. And that's what we're here to promise. Thank you.

Any questions?

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Q. Madam Speaker, Congresswoman, what was the most interesting thing or impact that you learned by speaking to survivors?

Speaker Pelosi. Not that I didn't know this before – because I've been to New Mexico, I don't know, maybe 50 times – I have been in every aspect of whether it's with – in Indian Country to learn about what – why we should be supporting so many causes there, including preserving the language, or with your Senator Ben Luján to community colleges to see what they're doing to train people and the rest.

So I know of the pride and the entrepreneurial spirit of New Mexico. It is the Land of Enchantment. But today, today, it was – make no mistake, there were tears to hear the pain that was caused, the loss that came with all of that, the trauma and the impact that that had, that has on our children. And to see in a very clear, eloquent, articulate way how everybody understood what the loss was, what the needs were and what the specific requests were. It was very efficient, as well as being inspiring and hopeful.

Do you want to say anything?

Congresswoman Leger Fernández. You know, I think every time we hear the stories directly from those who have lived them, we are touched in our hearts. And when we are touched in our hearts, we're strengthened in our resolve. And that happened once again today. And so I'm very grateful. And I'm also very grateful, because we heard directly from all of these wonderful students who have talked to us about their desire to make sure that they are able to live in – in future generations and pass on the lessons that they've heard. And also how hard it's been, as they live there, you know, there now. And their ability to cross a bridge, because the bridges are out there. Everything gets flooded and rained out, and how do you go to school? And how do you get back from school? And that constant sort of fear of the unknown, which we know they are living every day. And so that I think was made incredibly poignant and powerful today.

Q. I have a question. Thank you both for being here today. Reporting on the fires, and then the aftermath and seeing the devastation that I'm sure you've heard about today, there was a great deal of frustration when we talked to people that live there regarding access to government assistance. Confusion, it was cumbersome. Was that addressed today in this roundtable? Is that something that might be a piece of this legacy?

Speaker Pelosi. Well it certainly has to be. And it is an unusual disaster, because it could have been avoided, because it was man-made. We like to think everything could be avoided. But this was actually a mistake, you know, a tremendous mistake. But the, when we talk about outreach, we have to make sure people know that they qualify, that they go, we have to have the Disaster Assistance Centers, whatever they're calling them now, readily available in a culturally appropriate way. That's very essential.

And also there's a recognition that everything in nature is connected. That – Indian Country teaches that – us that all the time. So that you can't talk about the trees without talking about the water, you can't talk about the water without talking about the ash, you can't talk about any of it without talking about the fish. So, so it is – we want people to hear this story in a different way than they might have heard some other disasters that divide things into categories without recognizing how they are connected. And really can't solve the problems unless you take a comprehensive approach to it.

That's part of what we heard today, as well, as well as again, as the Congresswoman said, so clearly, there is nothing more eloquent than the personal stories that just, as you said, touches the heart, the authenticity of it all. And it gives us the ability to reference what we heard, what we know and that these stories are indicative of many other people's stories as well.

But what we've just learned so much about the impact of the action was, oh, my gosh, you taught us so much. Thank you so much. So we learned a lot. I learned a lot. The Congresswoman knows this, but – and I know disasters, because we have in California, we have fires, we have floods, we have droughts and floods. We have, we have earthquakes and all the rest. And I do know one thing: people expect the federal government and the local governments to respond to their needs. And timing is very important in all of that.

Congresswoman Leger Fernández. Just to point out that the Hermit's Peak Fire Assistance Bill does address the fact that some of the programs that they're trying to get done now require matches. As the Speaker pointed out, we cannot have matches when you have destroyed the livelihood. And so the Hermit's Peak Fire Assistance Bill provides that it will be 100 percent federal, so it would be eliminating those matches, which have been quite problematic.

Speaker Pelosi. And Congress went and introduced that bill, what, three days after the fire? Just a matter of hours, practically. So thank you. Thank you for your leadership.

Q. And I'd like to kind of follow up on that. When it comes to New Mexico not having a match and these ongoing federal relief efforts. What would you say to New Mexicans about how those – could those efforts get put on a different trajectory if power in Congress would change? And then can you tie that into your fundraising efforts yesterday with the – with the House Democratic candidates and why it was important for you to be here for them?

Speaker Pelosi. Well, I would like to say that this – we don't want this to be partisan in every way. Why we have been taking time with our Continuing Resolution is that we want to introduce it as a bipartisan – as a bipartisan legislation, so that we can quickly move it so the funds can be dispersed quickly, and that we keep government, keep government open.

As I say, I don't want this to be viewed in a partisan way. I will say, though, that just people can draw their own conclusions that the Inflation Reduction Act, which has a great deal of opportunity in it for us in this purpose, passed the Senate and the House with one hundred percent of the Democrats voting for it and not one Republican vote.

So we don't – it's not a question of partisanship, it's a question of making sure that whoever you want to vote for knows that you're paying attention and what is, what you care about, and you want to know whether they care about it as well.

And that legislation had serious money for drought in it. And many other initiatives that will be helpful, even though we have other bills like the infrastructure bill that are helpful as well. So again, it's not about partisanship. It's about just making sure whoever you vote for knows this, what is important to you and where they stand on it. So I'm not going to go into politics though here, where it's sacred ground.

Q. Is the fire – Hermit's Peak Fire Assistance Act going to be in the Continuing Resolution?

Speaker Pelosi. About five or six o'clock tonight, you have – I wish we could be announcing. Let me say it this way: I wish we could be announcing it now. So you can draw an inference from that.

Congresswoman Leger Fernández. We have – we have pushed to have the Hermit's Peak Fire Assistance Bill in any and every single legislative vehicle that moves. We have already passed it out of the House twice. And we are working diligently, and I can tell you that I will never give up until we actually get it signed into law.

And so we will look for every opportunity in my office, together with the rest of the Delegation and supported by Leadership, and in a bipartisan manner have looked to see where are ways in which we can begin the process and implement the Hermit's Peak Fire Assistance Bill.

So you can see we've been pushing for it to get everywhere we can. And we'll see what we can announce later today.

Q. If it were in the Continuing Resolution, what would that mean? Would it come into here faster than the NDAA it was in before?

Speaker Pelosi. Yes. The NDAA is not a law yet. This will be – it's introduced today. They will take it up. See, it's Rosh Hashanah, so we can't have any activity on the Floor or anything, but they can introduce the bill. They'll take it up tomorrow in the Senate after sundown. And then we'll get it in the House to put on the Floor by Thursday. And then hopefully, if everything goes well in the Senate tomorrow night, it'll be signed into law, as is required by the – September 30th – the end of the fiscal year. That's way ahead of the NDAA. Yes.

Q. And I know there's no budget attached yet, but can you give us any sense of how much money potentially could come?

Speaker Pelosi. Stay tuned.

Q. Madam Speaker, Madam Congresswoman, you guys speak on how important it is to hear these stories from these people. How do you guys take the stories and bring them back to DC to really show how important it is for people who didn't get to hear them personally?

Congresswoman Leger Fernández. I talk to everybody. There is not a single Chairman of a Committee in the House of Representatives who has not heard about what has happened in New Mexico. And I can tell you that I am so appreciative of the fact that every single Chairperson that I had to describe this situation to in the urgency of getting this relief has said yes.

So whether it's the Chair of the Judiciary who has to sign off on this, whether it's the Chair of the Appropriations Rosa DeLauro, who was very supportive of what we did. The committee sub-chair is headed by our wonderful – Chair of the Subcommittee that covers FEMA is Lucille Roybal-Allard – who I will say also has a tie to New Mexico, her father is from Pecos – once again said we understand these issues.

And so that's how we do it: we go person-by-person, we describe what's happening. We share with them the news stories that are out there, the stories in which these voices have been heard before. And I can say that their voices, their stories have resonated in Congress and have been heard, which is why we've been able to make as much progress as quickly as we have.

And you know, it's – we don't – we will keep making progress in whichever vehicle is available to us until it's done. Because these stories are not – you're right, they're not just the people here. It's the entire community, and I think it's the entire State of New Mexico. The entire State of New Mexico has felt the pain of what has happened in northern New Mexico. And we have felt the outpouring.

We heard earlier today about how mayors from across the state were offering help, that there was a – what was it called? A half-mile long to be able to give the supplies to help out with evacuees. It was a half-mile long. Did you tell me a half-mile long – the line to help out? So the entire State of New Mexico is with us on this.

Speaker Pelosi. I would just add the Congresswoman has been relentless, persistent, occasionally dissatisfied about the speed of things, but determined to be successful in passing the legislation and giving voice to the concerns, some of which we heard today.

But there is no – I mean, let me just, as an example: when we saved the Affordable Care Act, we didn't do it by arguing the provisions. We had 10,000 events where people could tell their stories. And that heart-to-heart communication was – created the drumbeat.

So while we want to persuade our colleagues, and Congresswoman has done that or is doing that, we – and the Delegation and the Governor, etc. We also want to have people thinking in a bigger way about this thing, let this be an example. And the stories we heard were about that. Again, it's not just about survival. That's essential. Or success. It's about transformative thinking about how we avoid disaster, how we respect, again, as we in everything we do on infrastructure, or climate and the rest, have the Native American community at the table, because who knows better how to protect the land, the habitat, the food, the flora, the fauna than that community.

So I feel very armed telling – they're reporting some of their stories. And you have, perhaps you heard some, but they were very eloquent, very clear, and they had their purpose. And that will help us with our colleagues, just to make sure that they know that we may need more. We may need more. And here's why. Fidel and Ayzlyn and James and Dante and Michaela – and where's Charlee with two E's?

[Laughter]

It's their future. They've taken ownership of it. And they have already made a difference. So it's a – it's pretty exciting to carry it back, and Congresswoman Leger Fernández does that every single day that she comes to the Congress.

Thank you all for what you brought to us today. Thank you all who have been instrumental in electing the Congresswoman. Everyone who cares about a better future for our children and the beautiful diversity of our communities is deeply in your debt. Thank you.