ICYMI: Dexter Holds Forest Service Accountable, Secures Safety Briefing as Firefighters Finally Get Masks

WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03), the Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, secured a commitment from U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Chief Tom Schultz for a detailed oversight briefing on firefighter health protections. Hours following Dexter's oversight push, USFS announced it will begin providing wildland firefighters with masks to protect against toxic smoke exposure.

"I'm the first and only pulmonary and critical care doctor ever to serve in Congress, I would like to use my knowledge to protect our firefighters" Dexter said during the exchangewith Chief Schultz, which resulted in his agreement to provide a full briefing by the end of September.

Watch Dexter's line of questioning here.

The commitment came after Dexter led Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee in demanding individual briefings from the USFS, National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to support the health and safety of wildland firefighters.  

Congresswoman Dexter, the first and only lung physician ever elected to Congress, has made protecting lung health a central focus of her congressional work.