WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s upcoming visit to Washington, D.C. Newsom is reportedly visiting D.C. to request additional federal tax dollars, while questions remain about the billions in federal funding that California has already received over the past decade, with the intention of supporting wildfire preparedness, suppression, and recovery. Residents of the Palisades allege that these funds have been wasted.

Senator Rick Scott said, “As Governor Newsom makes his pitch in D.C. for more federal tax dollars, I encourage him to publicly share exactly how the state has used the billions in tax dollars it has already received over the past decade that were intended for wildfire preparedness and recovery, and that witnesses on the ground allege were wasted. Chairman Johnson and I have spent time in Governor Newsom’s state over the last few months as part of our official congressional investigation into the causes and failures that led to the Palisades Fire. We’ve heard from survivors of the devastation who lost their homes and livelihoods, and from the families of those who lost their lives. We’ve also heard about the roadblocks and bureaucracy that are still preventing victims from rebuilding their lives nearly a year later. According to these victims’ testimonies, California has not spent these federal dollars wisely or effectively. They deserve answers before California receives more of Americans’ hard-earned tax money. We’ll keep working to get those answers in our congressional investigation.”

Senator Rick Scott and Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, continue to lead an ongoing congressional investigation into the January 2025 wildfires and recently held a field hearing in California, “Forgotten After the Flames: Stories from the Palisades Fire,” to hear from survivors, local leaders, and advocates. Witnesses shared how both they and older residents struggled to prepare, evacuate, and recover – and how many are still facing obstacles to rebuild. As part of their investigation, Senators Scott and Johnson have sent multiple letters to federal, state, and local officials seeking answers on California’s preparedness, mitigation, and response failures — including prevention efforts, prescribed burns, arson investigations, and overall disaster response and recovery.

See more from the field hearing HERE.

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