![Congress Lets Western States Burn, Fails to Find Funding to Combat Wildfires Congress Lets Western States Burn, Fails to Find Funding to Combat Wildfires](https://mtic.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/fires-310x168.jpg)
Recess begins without lawmakers acting on legislation to fund firefighting efforts in Oregon, Washington and California.
President Obama had requested $615 million in emergency funding to help the U.S. Forest Service and Interior Department pay for firefighting efforts, and the Democratic-controlled Senate proposed a $2.7 billion spending bill to deal with both the wildfires and the influx of unaccompanied minors along the Southwest border. But Senate Republicans used a procedural objection to block its consideration.The House did not introduce a bill to combat wildfires.