The U.S. Forest Service’s efforts to combat California’s wildfires should not be influenced by politics, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Department of Agriculture said during her hearing Thursday confirmation in the Senate.
Responding to questions from a Senate panel, candidate Brooke Rollins also acknowledged that mass deportation projects And prices could create difficulties for the agricultural sector, but she said her election demonstrated that the public supported such actions.
Trump nominated Rollins, who also served in his first administration, to lead a sprawling agency that oversees agriculture, forestry, livestock, food quality and nutrition. If confirmed as agriculture secretary, Rollins would take the helm of the agency at a time when many farmers have seen their profits plummet and the Forest Service is combining efforts to combat a wave of wildfires forest in Southern California.
Given that Trump has threatened to withhold federal disaster aid From Los Angeles, unless California officials change how the state manages its water resources, California Sen. Adam Schiff asked Rollins if she would commit to equal treatment from the Forest Service.
“Are you committed to using the same emergency resources to fight wildfires in blue states that would be deployed to fight wildfires in red states? » asked Schiff.
Rollins responded that she would not support discrimination against any state.
“Obviously, but it has to be said since you asked, 100% yes,” Rollins said. “Watching the devastation in your beautiful state has been heartbreaking for all of us, whether we are from red states or blue states. »
Rollins, 52, is a Texas lawyer who served as domestic policy chief during Trump’s first term and is now president and CEO of the American First Policy Institute, which helped shape the second administration’s plans Trump. She graduated from Texas A&She earned an undergraduate degree in agricultural development and later received her law degree from the University of Texas.
Schiff and other Democrats on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee also questioned Rollins about Trump’s plans for illegal mass deportations of people in the country. They noted that a high percentage of those who harvest produce and work in dairies could be abruptly evicted, causing a huge labor shortage.
Rollins said she supports Trump’s agenda but acknowledged it could be difficult for American farmers.
“The president’s vision of a secure border and mass expulsion on a significant scale is something I support,” Rollins said.
Although she supported the president’s planned actions, Rollins said she would support efforts to recruit more workers, such as making temporary immigrant agricultural worker programs more effective.
“This is my commitment: to help President Trump deploy his agenda effectively while defending, if confirmed as Secretary of Agriculture, our farmers and ranchers across this country,” he said. she declared.
Both Republicans and Democrats have raised the issue of tariffs, which Trump says he will impose to encourage foreign investors to import manufactured goods into the United States and to force other countries to change their policies.
Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet said farmers and ranchers see little prospect of improving their economic situation other than expanding exports. Bennet implored Rollins to argue to Trump that higher tariffs would devastate efforts to increase exports.
Rollins said she will always advocate for the needs of farmers and ranchers.
“My role is to advocate, to honor, to elevate our entire agricultural community in the Oval Office around the table, through the interagency process and to ensure that every decision that is made over the next four years to come keep this in mind. are in the works,” Rollins said.
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