MEMBER OF CONGRESS

Bruce Westerman

Republican AR 21 statements translated

Westerman consistently advocates for domestic industry and pushes back against regulation he views as excessive. He supports bills to streamline mining permits and suspend new fishing rules, often yielding time to colleagues and relevant industry groups to bolster his arguments. Westerman emphasizes protecting American jobs and avoiding reliance on imports, while criticizing the other side as anti-business. He rarely strays from his core pro-industry message of reducing regulation to support the economy and national security. Westerman also takes opportunities to promote his positions as pro-environment, such as by arguing that streamlined permitting will reduce reliance on mineral imports and that suspending lobster fishing regulations will help the government better protect whales based on sound science.

House of Representatives

Wake up and Smell the Smoke

2026-07-16

“I want the Fix Our Forests Act to pass. I want the Senate to send it to the President now. There are many fires. I say a prayer for firefighters and families. I want to manage forests. I want to give firefighters tools to stop fires. The Fix Our Forests Act does that. It helps reduce fire risks. It helps firefighters and states. I want to protect communities and the environment. I want to prevent loss of life. The Senate needs to act now. Pass this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, the Senate is fiddling while America burns, and when I say burns, I mean it in the literal sense. Mr. Speaker, 18 months ago, we sent a hugely bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act to the Senate. It has passed the Senate Ag Committee on a bipartisan vote. It is time for the Senate to send the Fix Our Forests Act to the President's desk. Nearly 50 uncontained fires are burning across the country, and our prayers are with the firefighters and the families of those whose lives have been taken by wildfire. We owe it to them to manage our forests and provide the tools needed to suppress fires. The Fix Our Forests Act does just that. It accelerates hazardous fuel reduction in our highest-risk forests. It strengthens State and local partnerships. It supports firefighters and their families by establishing a new Casualty Assistance Program. It does all this and much more. It is time to wake up and smell the smoke. Enact the Fix Our Forests Act so we can begin the process of forest health restoration to protect our communities, to protect our environment, and to protect against the loss of American lives.

View on ourcommons.ca ↗