Yuba-Sutter Times

Today, Congress passed the American Relief Act, H.R. 10545, to ensure continued government operations until March 14, 2025. The legislation includes significant disaster relief and funding extensions for agriculture and healthcare programs.

"This legislation provides critical support for farmers, ranchers, and wildfire-prone regions, all while avoiding a government shutdown," said Rep. Doug LaMalfa. He highlighted the agricultural relief aimed at helping producers recover from recent disasters and stabilize their operations. Key components of the bill include forest thinning through shaded fuel breaks and agricultural disaster aid.

The act allocates $75 million for shaded fuel breaks in California's U.S. Forest Service Region 5 as part of wildfire prevention efforts. This funding is vital after over one million acres burned in California this year alone. The Park Fire demonstrated the effectiveness of such measures when the Highway 32 fuel break helped stop its progression.

H.R. 10545 also designates $30.78 billion for agriculture disaster relief to support farmers and ranchers who faced significant losses in 2023 and 2024 due to various disasters like droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, smoke exposure, polar vortex freezes, and other severe weather events.

An additional $2 billion is allocated specifically for livestock producers affected by droughts, wildfires or floods during these years. The $21 billion earmarked for agricultural natural disaster relief addresses urgent needs in impacted areas.

The bill also secures essential funding for Teaching Health Centers (THCs), which train doctors to serve rural areas experiencing physician shortages. Many THC graduates continue practicing in their training locations, stabilizing healthcare access in underserved regions. Additionally, telehealth flexibilities are extended to maintain care accessibility despite declining hospital access.

The American Relief Act further extends programs and funding from the 2018 Farm Bill through September 30, 2025 while maintaining support for key healthcare initiatives including teaching health centers and community health centers through March 31, 2025.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa represents California’s First Congressional District covering multiple counties including Butte and Shasta.