The Senate Appropriations Committee released a fiscal year 2018 bill that addresses the longstanding issue of the U.S. Forest Service firefighting budget, but Senate Appropriations ranking member Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said the bill is not bipartisan. While the bill provides funding for programs important to Vermont, Leahy said “I am deeply disappointed that the overall bill has bowed to the anti-science know-nothingism of President Trump by slashing environmental programs and denying the reality of climate change.” In a summary of the bill, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Miss., noted it includes $5.8 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, including the full 10-year average for wildfire suppression costs as well increased funding for hazardous fuels reduction to help prevent catastrophic wildfires.