{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://gallagher.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-gallagher-blasts-newsoms-failed-backroom-wildfire-deal-0", "Rep. Gallagher Blasts Newsom\u2019s Failed Backroom Wildfire Deal", "2026-09-02", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "CA", "James Gallagher", "G000607", "gallagher.house.gov", "gallagher", "https://gallagher.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congressman James Gallagher (CA-01) today blasted Governor Gavin Newsom\u2019s failed last-minute attempt to rewrite California\u2019s wildfire liability system. In a video released today, Gallagher called the backroom proposal another effort to move costs around rather than confront the policies that have made electricity and insurance increasingly unaffordable for Californians.\n\nNewsom attempted to push the proposal through in the final days of his last legislative session with less than 72 hours for public review. Both Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature ultimately rejected the deal.\n\n\u201cGovernor Newsom had the votes, he had the power, and he had eight years,\u201d said Congressman Gallagher. \u201cYet, with just months remaining in office, he\u2019s suddenly discovered that the system is broken and that he has the answer to save us all. Apparently, everyone is responsible for California\u2019s problems except the people who have actually been running the state.\u201d\n\nGallagher represented Paradise in the State Assembly when the Camp Fire devastated the community in 2018 and spent the years that followed fighting for victims through PG&E\u2019s bankruptcy and California\u2019s response.\n\n\u201cThe last time Newsom did utility reform, the hedge funds, the insurance companies and the trial lawyers all got paid,\u201d Gallagher said. \u201cThe wildfire victims got devalued stock and broken promises.\u201d\n\nThen came the utility bills.\n\nGallagher\u2019s constituents watched their electricity rates climb as California regulators approved rate increase after rate increase. Today, Californians are paying more without getting the safer and more reliable energy system they were promised.\n\n\u201cThe governor said this week that we need to deal with reality. I couldn\u2019t agree more,\u201d Gallagher said. \u201cThe energy policy of California is a total disaster. We pay the highest rates in the nation and we still have old infrastructure that is sparking wildfires.\u201d\n\nGallagher said Newsom\u2019s latest proposal would not have fixed the underlying problem. Instead, it would have shifted wildfire liability from utilities to insurance companies, potentially leaving Californians paying the price through higher costs.\n\nGallagher is calling for California to modernize its aging energy infrastructure, move away from its dependence on the big utility model and get serious about reducing the dangerous buildup of fuels on public lands before the next catastrophic wildfire.\n\n\u201cGovernor Newsom is trying to patch the roof of a burning building as he\u2019s walking out the door,\u201d Gallagher said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t actually want to solve the fundamental problem because that would require a look in the mirror.\u201d\n\n\u201cGovernor Newsom, stop pointing fingers,\u201d Gallagher continued. \u201cAfter eight years, California\u2019s problems aren\u2019t somebody else\u2019s legacy, they\u2019re yours.\u201d\n\nWatch Congressman Gallagher\u2019s full remarks HERE.\n\nClick HERE to download the video.\n\n###\n\nClick the link here to subscribe to Rep. Gallagher\u2019s eNewsletter!\n\nRep. James Gallagher | 408 Cannon House Office Building | Washington, DC 20515 US\n\nCongressman James Gallagher proudly represents California's First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.", 1, "2026-09-24T10:30:22Z", "2026-09-24T10:31:42Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://gallagher.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-gallagher-blasts-newsoms-failed-backroom-wildfire-deal-0"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4796610921621323, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}