Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources Bruce Westerman led a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) on a trip throughout the Indo-Pacific region to learn about issues facing various island nations and U.S. territories. On Aug. 28, Westerman, accompanied by fellow committee members and the Hawaii congressional delegation, conducted a survey of the fire damage in Lahaina, Hawaii on the island of Maui.
"Seeing in person drives home the raw devastation we witnessed today in Lahaina that’s hard to overstate," Chairman Westerman said, according to a press release. "The intense fire stole lives and left a path of destruction that has forever altered lives of the people and community of Lahaina. I am grateful to the men and women who are on the front lines of this tragedy who are searching for the missing, comforting those who have lost loved ones, providing aid to families and affected residents and working to recover and rebuild their community. My colleagues and I stand with the people of Lahaina and our continued prayers are with all of Maui."
According to the a press release, last month Maui suffered the gravest wildfire in more than a century, resulting in over 115 lives lost and leaving hundreds still unaccounted for. The fire ravaged more than 2,200 structures, which included residences, as well as historic and cultural landmarks, culminating in an estimated financial burden of around $5.5 billion. In response, a collective effort involving numerous federal, state, and local authorities has been tirelessly engaged in locating missing individuals and offering assistance to those who have faced complete loss. The investigation into the fire's cause remains ongoing.
As part of the stop, the delegation received briefings from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and engaged in discussions with Gov. Josh Green and representatives from the Hawaii congressional delegation to address the immediate needs of Maui residents.
The delegation included U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), U.S. Rep. Gregorio Sablan (D-CNMI), U.S. Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), U.S. Rep. Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa), U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
