Ian Brickey, ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Late Thursday night, Senate Republicans voted to back co-presidents Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s hasty firing of national park rangers and wildfire prevention workers, among other land management staff.
The votes were part of the Senate’s consideration of a reconciliation bill packaging part of Donald Trump’s agenda on immigration and border enforcement. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced an amendment that would reverse some of the Trump and Musk-led mass layoffs of federal workers and rehire staff at the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced his own amendment that would establish a permanent fund to support wildland firefighting. Nearly the entire Senate Republican caucus, 52 of 53 senators, voted against both amendments.
Musk and Trump have spent several weeks conducting mass firings of federal workers, stretching resources at already overburdened agencies like the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service. Among those workers who have been served pink slips are national park rangers and wildfire prevention staff.
In response, Athan Manuel, Director of Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program, released the following statement:
“Keeping our park rangers and wildfire prevention workers on the job should be a no-brainer, but Senate Republicans never fail to disappoint. They had not one, but two chances to reverse these dangerous cuts, and they whiffed on both. It’s clear who Donald Trump and his enablers in Congress think should benefit from our public lands–their billionaire backers, not the American people.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.