VP Harris visits San Bernardino, announces $1 billion in disaster relief funds

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Southern California Friday and brought millions of dollars of aid to the golden state. 

Harris and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visited San Bernardino County to announce over $1billion in disaster relief funds for the USDA Forest Service to support post-wildfire and hurricane recovery and restoration across the country. The program includes nearly $600 million for recovery efforts in California following the devastating 2020 and 2021 fire years. 

The money will be used for hazardous material cleanup, reforestation, watershed restoration, and infrastructure repair including for trails, roads, bridges and facilities. The funds will put towards the communities hit hardest by wildfires. 

In brief remarks, the vice president hailed the work of firefighters. She said the government is "putting the resources where they are needed" in the battle against fires and climate change.

While Harris was in San Bernardino, her husband, Doug Emhoff, took part in a service activity with AmeriCorps in Van Nuys.

The two will spend the weekend at their Brentwood house. 

From California, Harris will head to Wisconsin to meet with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan on Monday, Jan. 24. 

RELATED: Harris to discuss drought, Biden climate change proposal at Lake Mead

Harris has been in the region a number of times since taking office one year ago Thursday. Back in October, Harris visited Lake Mead to talk about President Joe Biden's climate change proposals, and in September 2021, Harris was in the Bay Area to campaign for Gov. Gavin Newsom ahead of is recall election.

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