Today, Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), members of the committee and the Hawaii Congressional delegation surveyed fire damage in Lahaina, Hawaii on the island of Maui. Westerman released the following statement following departure:  

"Seeing in person drives home the raw devastation we witnessed today in Lahaina that’s hard to overstate. The intense fire stole lives and left a path of destruction that has forever altered lives of the people and community of Lahaina. I am grateful to the men and women who are on the front lines of this tragedy who are searching for the missing, comforting those who have lost loved ones, providing aid to families and affected residents and working to recover and rebuild their community. My colleagues and I stand with the people of Lahaina and our continued prayers are with all of Maui."

Background

Chairman Westerman has been leading a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) throughout the Indo-Pacific to learn about the issues facing different island nations and U.S. territories. Due to the significant federal efforts underway, Chairman Westerman and the CODEL members prioritized stopping to assess the fire’s devastating impacts, received briefings from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and met with Governor Josh Green and members of the Hawaii congressional delegation to discuss immediate needs for the people of Maui. 

Earlier this month, Maui was devastated by the deadliest wildfire in over a century. Over 115 lives have been lost, with hundreds of people still unaccounted for. The fires also destroyed over 2,200 structures, including homes, historic sites and cultural sites, with estimated damage costing approximately $5.5 billion. 
 
In response, thousands of federal, state and local officials have worked tirelessly to locate those who are missing and provide support for those who lost everything. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

Members who joined Chairman Westerman include: 

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.)
U.S. Rep. Gregorio Sablan (D-CNMI)
U.S. Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii)
U.S. Rep. Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa)
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) 
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.)
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.)
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.)
U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii)
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)