Wildfires Ravage West Coast
Floor Speech
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Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the wildfires currently ravaging the West Coast of the United States.
More than 85 major fires, spanning from Washington State to Southern California are burning, as I speak. Thirty-five people have died, only ashes remain in hundreds of communities, tens of thousands have fled their homes and many individuals are still missing. Some survivors compare the site of the flames to the gates of hell.
This year alone, California has seen over 2,600 more fires and a nearly 2,000 percent increase in the acres burned compared to this time last year. That is according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal-Fire.
The frequency and intensity are no accident. We used to refer to early fall as ``wildfire season'' but the threat of these fires is now present throughout the year.
In San Diego and in other areas of Southern California, dry and arid conditions, paired with high temperatures, can make for a deadly combination. The Valley fire in eastern San Diego County, which is now 87 percent contained, burned almost 18,000 acres of land and prompted the closure of the Cleveland National Forest.
That fire started 10 days ago, but smoke and haze across the county are barely now beginning to clear. The air quality continues to pose a risk for sensitive groups. This fire is only the latest in a long history of destructive fires in San Diego County.
I call on my fellow Members of Congress to accept and recognize this truth: Our actions don't exist in a vacuum. The consequences of our actions lead to rising temperatures and more extreme natural events, including hurricanes, droughts, and flooding.
It is not a matter of belief. Yearly patterns show us how these changes aren't natural. They are man-made. They are climate change.
We owe it to every single firefighter and first responder to act on this issue now. Every day, they risk their lives in the blistering heat, not knowing if they will make it back home. We are beyond grateful for their bravery and their unwavering dedication to public safety.
These conditions leading to the devastation on the West Coast are preventable, but the only way forward is through bipartisan partnerships to address the key drivers of climate change. Saving lives, infrastructure, and our lands from the effects of severe weather require concrete and swift action on the climate crisis now. Recognizing Alice Johnson on Her 100th Birthday
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Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the birthday of an extraordinary constituent and American hero.
She is a World War II veteran, a U.S. Army Corps nurse, a Purple Heart recipient, a proud American patriot, an activity community member, and a birthday card enthusiast.
She is the remarkable Alice Johnson of Rancho Bernardo, California. I commend her service to our country, love of adventure, dedication to the well-being of others, and fun-loving spirit as she reaches this momentous milestone of 100 years.
Alice Johnson was born on September 12, 1920, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She completed her nursing education in 1941.
After Pearl Harbor, she enlisted in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. Her unit arrived in Okinawa, Japan, on Easter Sunday in 1945, where she helped establish a field hospital ahead of the U.S. invasion of Japan.
A few months later, eight Japanese Kamikaze planes descended upon the island, and U.S. troops attempted to shoot them down. Alice was injured in the crossfire and evacuated to Hawaii for surgery. She was awarded a Purple Heart after her service overseas.
Later in life, Alice served as a flight attendant for United Airlines, back when flight attendants were required to be nurses.
Always interested in nursing and travel, she accepted a nursing position at a hospital in Aruba. There, she met and married John Johnson, and together, they had four children.
Alice moved back to the U.S. and continued her nursing career at a private cancer practice, at a burn hospital, and as a public health nurse for vision and hearing tests in schools.
After her retirement, Alice settled in Rancho Bernardo, California, near her family, and remains active, attending Hope United Methodist Church, square dancing with friends, and playing mahjong at the Poway Senior Center.
Her daughter, Elaine, and son-in-law, Bill, reached out to me to share her life stories worthy of celebration as she becomes a centenarian.
I am overjoyed to wish Alice Johnson the very happiest 100th birthday. On behalf of the constituents of California's 52nd District, we honor her selfless service in World War II, her dedicated career as a nurse, and the joy she continuously brings to all who know her.
I wish a happy 100th birthday to Alice. She is a treasure to us all.
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