Rep. Dan Newhouse Pushes for Aerial Wildfire Operations Report

Representative Dan Newhouse spearheaded penning a letter to the U.S. Forest Service Chief and Interior Secretary requesting an overdue report on 10-year aerial firefighting contracts. The Forest Service and Department of Interior are required to provide the report to Congress and it almost a year past the deadline.

"[The letter] is literally demanding that they produce a report, which is overdue, to Congress on their contracting for their aerial wildfire contractors," said Representative Dan Newhouse. "We need to know whether this ten year contracting provision has the potential to improve the efficiency of aerial firefighting efforts. We need this report so we have adequate information so we can make important decisions on how we move forward in addressing how we fight catastrophic fires."

The report is required by the Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriations bill.

Over a dozen lawmakers joined Newhouse in the request, including Republican Ohio Representative David Joyce.

To read the letter, visit here.