Transcript - Remarks: Joe Biden Receives a Briefing on Wildfires in New Mexico - June 11, 2022 | Factba.se

Joe Biden

00:00:00 - 00:00:34 ()

Well, Governor, thank you very much. Before I begin, we're on National Guard property. I just want to say that the National Guard, obviously, is controlled by the governor, except when federalized. And I have federalized you a number of times nationwide to fight fires, to fight every disaster we've had. And my son was a major in the National Guard. And I think the people don't quite understand the extent -- the extent of the work you do and the risk you take for us.

Joe Biden

00:00:34 - 00:01:16 ()

And secondly, there's an expression where I come from: "God made man, then he made some firefighters." You're all crazy -- [laughter] -- but I love you. I grew up in a neighborhood called Claymont, Delaware, when we moved from Scranton when coal died. And, you know, my parents weren't in the coal mines -- they were in sales -- but the economy shriveled and we moved down to this little steel town. And I went to a little Catholic school across from the fire department -- a fire station. And everybody I grew up with -- you either became a cop, a firefighter, or a priest. I wasn't qualified for any of them, so here I am. [Laughter]

Joe Biden

00:01:16 - 00:01:21 ()

I -- but, you know, just so you know, I've done too many

Joe Biden

00:01:21 - 00:01:33 ()

individual and mass funerals for firefighters and hotshots and -- and, you're an incredible group of people. I mean, a truly incredible group of people.

Joe Biden

00:01:33 - 00:01:45 ()

Anybody -- and the -- and the overwhelming human instinct is you run away from a fire, not into it. And the only thing that protects firefighters is more firefighters -- the only thing. More firefighters.

Joe Biden

00:01:45 - 00:02:03 ()

And I just wanted to say that at the outset because I -- you have my indebted gratitude. And my fire department saved my life literally, not figuratively. My house got struck by lightning and it mostly burned down. It had to be rebuilt.

Joe Biden

00:02:03 - 00:02:28 ()

Saved -- the thick -- the smoke was so thick, Gov. It was literally that thick. And you couldn't see through the windows or out the windows. And the floors were collapsing, and these guys went in and did two things: Most importantly, they got my wife out -- I was in Washington when it happened -- and saved our cat. But equally important, almost -- not equally, but important -- I have a '67 Corvette they got out. [Laughter]

Joe Biden

00:02:28 - 00:02:54 ()

And so, anyway. But my point is: You're incredible. And so, Governor, thank you. And Senators Heinrich and Luján, thank you very much for all you do. And Teresa Leger Fernández and -- you know, Herrell, and -- and, you know, Stansbury, and all members of the House doing a great job.

Joe Biden

00:02:54 - 00:03:13 ()

And -- but maybe the proudest thing I've done is I appointed the first Native American to be a Cabinet member. [Applause] But she's only been in New Mexico 35 generations. You're a newcomer. [Laughter] A newcomer.

Joe Biden

00:03:13 - 00:03:22 ()

But, look, a special thanks again to the firefighters -- over 4,000 of you. Over 4,000 of you are putting your lives on the line.

Joe Biden

00:03:22 - 00:03:33 ()

And we're about to receive a briefing about the largest, most destructive wildfire in America so far this year and the largest wildfire in New Mexico's history.

Joe Biden

00:03:33 - 00:03:45 ()

I just flew over some of the damage. And Air Force One is so damn big we couldn't go in, but we flew the perimeter of the -- of the fire. And it's an astounding amount of territory.

Joe Biden

00:03:45 - 00:04:15 ()

And the impact on families that have been there for so long are so consequential. And in this -- in a way -- you know, there's, you know, nearly 700,000 acres. And a new fire just started -- have just started. Thousands of people displaced. Ranchers wiped out. Schools shuttered. And wilderness -- it looks like a moonscape. You could see parts of it where I -- I was able to see.

Joe Biden

00:04:15 - 00:04:36 ()

And I'm thinking about what you're thinking, and that is our responsibility. It's not a gift. We have a responsibility to help this state recover, to help the families who have been here for centuries, and the beautiful northern New Mexico villages who can't go home and whose livelihoods have been fundamentally changed.

Joe Biden

00:04:36 - 00:04:45 ()

Governor, let me be clear: We will be here for you in response and recovery for as long as it takes. As long as it takes. [Applause]

Joe Biden

00:04:45 - 00:04:57 ()

And I learned something about this Governor: When she asks something, I just say, "Yes." [Laughter] But I don't think there's --

Michelle Lujan Grisham

00:04:57 - 00:04:58 ()

Can you get the legislator to do that?

Joe Biden

00:04:58 - 00:05:08 ()

Well, that's -- [laughter] -- that's what we're trying. You know, I've publicly gone on record of supporting it -- of supporting it. That is 100 percent --anyway.

Joe Biden

00:05:08 - 00:05:27 ()

There -- I hope we're able to get that done. I know that Ben Ray is working like hell in the House to get passage. But we're going to -- I have a little more trouble in the United States Senate. We have 50 Democratic senators, which means we have 51 presidents.

Joe Biden

00:05:27 - 00:05:40 ()

And so, it's -- you know, we got to get a consensus and we can't -- not a consensus, in some cases, if they insist on it being a -- requiring cloture, and we need 60 votes. So, it -- it remains to be seen.

Joe Biden

00:05:40 - 00:06:09 ()

And so -- but, you know, when you asked for major disaster declaration, Governor, I immediately responded, providing millions of dollars in housing assistance and cash grants and funding for emergency responders -- not because they're doing any favor; it's an obligation. I think we have a responsibility, as a government, as a -- to deal with the communities who are put in -- in such jeopardy.

Joe Biden

00:06:09 - 00:06:24 ()

And today, I'm announcing the federal government is covering 100 percent of the cost of -- [applause] -- of debris removal and emergency protective measures for the next critical months that are -- in this recovery.

Joe Biden

00:06:24 - 00:06:47 ()

And then there's going to be a strong bridge until we -- that we pass the -- the Hermit's Peak Fire Assistance Act, introduced by Senator Luján and Senator Heinrich and your -- and Senator Fernández, as well as Stansbury, to fully compensate -- fully compensate survivors for their total loss.

Joe Biden

00:06:47 - 00:07:07 ()

We're also -- [applause] -- we're also providing funding and loans for small businesses, farmers, and ranchers. And we need to be sure this doesn't happen again. We know the circumstances of Hermit's Park and [DEL: Calfe :DEL] [Calf] Canyon Fires are unique, starting with the prescribed burn.

Joe Biden

00:07:07 - 00:07:44 ()

Every year, the Forest Service, to put this in perspective -- they do a pretty damn good job -- conduct 4,500 prescribed burns. 99.8 percent go as planned. And -- but this time, tragically, it did not. And that's why the Forest Service has just put a complete pause on prescribed burns in our -- in the Forest Service lands. And it's conducting an intensive 90-day review, which will make public the -- all the detail of that review. And this needs to happen. And I'll be briefed on the results, and we'll brief the world on the results -- the country on the results.

Joe Biden

00:07:44 - 00:08:09 ()

And for folks at home, there are hundreds of fire -- of federal personnel on the ground trying to help you get through this. I think, if you take a look, the most important thing you can do is register with FEMA, which allows you to get assistance you deserve and you need quickly. And there's a FEMA mobile app that allows you to quickly register for assistance. And it's available in Spanish as well.

Joe Biden

00:08:09 - 00:08:14 ()

And our Director of FEMA, who I think has done an incredible job -- how many folks you have here now roughly?

Deanne Criswell

00:08:14 - 00:08:15 ()

Just under 400.

Joe Biden

00:08:15 - 00:08:33 ()

Just under 400 here. And it's -- [applause] -- I don't -- we -- if you don't have phone -- phone service yet, you have Disaster Recovers -- Recovery Centers in Mora and Las Vegas where you can register as well.

Joe Biden

00:08:33 - 00:08:45 ()

And we also have a team on the ground to help you register. And FEMA is calling every person who is denied assistance -- anybody denied assistance to ensure they get the help they need and in the language they speak.

Joe Biden

00:08:45 - 00:09:02 ()

A lot of, you know -- you know, you got to know how to know. You got to know what you need to know to be able to get something done. I can walk into the Library of Congress -- one of the great libraries in the world -- if you don't know how to work the card catalog, it's not very much use to you. I mean, it. You got to know how to know.

Joe Biden

00:09:02 - 00:09:12 ()

And so we've learned, in our administration, that it's not just enough to provide the help but let people know how they can access the help, and when they can't, how they can go about to fix that.

Joe Biden

00:09:12 - 00:09:21 ()

And so eligible residents can sign up for a state program that provides benefits to buy groceries and -- and hot meals as well.

Joe Biden

00:09:21 - 00:10:05 ()

For the longer term, but beginning right now, we have to help with the combined impacts of drought and wildfires and -- which threaten your vital watershed. And it's hard to explain to people back east when I talk about this, because we've gone to -- we've spent some time, the FEMA Director and I, in other parts of the country -- in Northern California, Oregon, up in Idaho -- to explain what we're talking about -- the scope and size and the consequence -- and how the watershed is not -- not -- literally but in [inaudible] evaporating in many places. Find yourself in a position where it has vital, vital im- --impact.

Joe Biden

00:10:05 - 00:10:15 ()

And through the Bipartisan Infrastructure, we are already investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the state -- of your drought relief and wildfire mitigation and water infrastructure.

Joe Biden

00:10:15 - 00:10:35 ()

And as the monsoon season approaches, we've authorized another $22 million to protect critical water infrastructure from post-fire flooding -- [applause] -- post-fire flooding and debris flows. And -- and the work starts today. It starts today. Not -- not next week, not next month. Today.

Joe Biden

00:10:35 - 00:10:56 ()

The bottom line is, Gov -- to the people of New Mexico: We'll do whatever it takes, as long as it takes, to follow your leadership and what -- telling us what you need. And I promise you, I -- and I -- and we kind of joke. They say the "Governor is on the phone." I say, "Just tell her yes." And then I start the conversation. Y'all think I'm kidding. I'm not kidding. [Laughter]

Joe Biden

00:10:56 - 00:11:11 ()

So, I'm going to stop here. And I guess we're going to get -- start the briefing, if we could. And -- but I guess, David, I'm talking to you first. You're Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, so I'm going to yield to you. Okay?