LOS ANGELES, CA — Mayor Karen Bass and county Supervisor Kathryn Barger are urging Congress to approve $15.7 billion in federal funding for the long-term recovery from the Palisades and Eaton fires.
The two leaders sent joint letters Tuesday to congressional leaders, members of the Los Angeles County delegation and the leaders of the House and Senate appropriations committees.
The requested funding would help restore critical infrastructure, rebuild parks, schools and senior centers, provide housing and financial assistance to residents, and revive damaged commercial corridors, according to the letters.
“From Los Angeles to Sacramento to Washington, Supervisor Barger and I have worked together to fight for the resources wildfire survivors need and deserve — and we won’t stop until every family has returned home and every business has reopened its doors,” Bass said in a statement.
Bass said the scale of the rebuilding effort will require continued assistance from all levels of government.
Barger called the recovery a long-term commitment and said wildfire survivors cannot rebuild without additional federal support.
“Our families, businesses, and neighborhoods have shown extraordinary resilience, but they cannot complete this recovery alone,” Barger said. “Continued federal partnership is essential to helping our communities rebuild and move forward.”
The letters noted that President Donald Trump requested an additional $87.6 billion in supplemental federal spending in June but did not include disaster relief tied to the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires.
Bass and Barger asked congressional leaders to include the region’s pending wildfire recovery needs when supplemental appropriations legislation is first drafted.
“We respectfully request your leadership and assistance in ensuring disaster relief appropriations, to include the pending needs related to the Eaton and Palisades fire, are included in supplemental appropriations legislation at its first writing,” the letters said.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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