House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democratic House members visited Altadena on Thursday, Jan. 30, as part of a congressional delegation led by Rep. Judy Chu to see firsthand the devastation left by this month’s Eaton fire.
Afterward, the group — which included House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Massachusetts, and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino — doubled down on their message that Southern California wildfire victims need more aid.
And such funding should not come with any conditions as President Donald Trump and some Republican members of Congress have suggested, the lawmakers said.
“There’s no Democratic way or Republican way to respond to a crisis and an extreme weather event. … There is an American way,” said Jeffries, a New York Democrat, during a press conference outside the Altadena Disaster Recovery Center.
“We’re going to make sure that Congress and the American people will stand with the people of this amazing community,” he added.
Jeffries and others in the group spent the morning visiting what is left of the Altadena Community Church and the Altadena Town & Country Club after first meeting at Pasadena City Hall.
The day before, many of the same House members joined Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, in touring Pacific Palisades, a coastal community that was also ravaged by a massive wildfire.
The visit by House Democrats to the San Gabriel Valley on Thursday occurred nearly a week after Trump visited Southern California.
Trump’s visit, however, only included a tour of Pacific Palisades. Altadena, about 40 miles to the east, was omitted from the president’s itinerary — a decision that left some in the San Gabriel Valley community feeling snubbed. On Friday, Jan. 24, Trump traveled to North Carolina first to tour an area hit by last year’s Hurricane Helene before landing in Los Angeles to survey the Palisades, ending his day in Nevada.
Chu, who represents Altadena and Pasadena and who had invited Trump to Southern California, was part of a roundtable discussion with the president during his trip to the area last Friday.
“I was in the briefing, and my main message was: ‘Don’t forget Altadena and Pasadena,’” Chu said.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment Thursday asking why the president did not visit Altadena.
Chu said she suspected Trump did not come to the San Gabriel Valley because he was pressed for time. “Nonetheless,” she said, “we know how important it is for him to see not just what happens out there (in the Palisades) but our area.”
She said Trump “took a halfway step” by coming to Southern California while leaving Altadena off his itinerary.
During Thursday’s press conference, both Chu and Jeffries, who has served as the House Democratic leader since 2023, spoke of a need to secure supplemental aid for those impacted by the wildfires.
In December, Congress passed a spending plan that included an approximately $100 billion disaster assistance package to provide immediate assistance to victims of major disasters. Jeffries said Thursday that there are “sufficient” funds for the next few weeks, but Congress will need to provide supplemental assistance to help Southern Californians fully recover from the wildfires.
“There is a spending deadline that is fast approaching on March 14 that will require Democrats (and) Republicans in the administration to come together to make sure that the federal government is fully funded. And in the context of those negotiations, led by Congresswoman Chu and Congressman Brad Sherman, we’re going to fight hard to make sure that we can get the resources for the medium and longer-term recovery that this community will need,” Jeffries said.
The costs to rebuild and recover from the wildfires are expected to be astronomical.
As of Wednesday, the Eaton fire had damaged or destroyed more than 10,000 structures in Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre while the Palisades fire had damaged or destroyed over 7,000 structures in Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
The House Democratic leader also took the opportunity during Thursday’s press conference to criticize the Trump administration for freezing funds for federal grants and loans earlier this week. That action was rescinded a day later, but many Democrats worry it could happen again.
“The funding freeze that was ordered by the White House was reckless, irresponsible, unpatriotic and un-American. … We need leadership from the White House and this administration that is compassionate,” said Jeffries.
Altadena Town Council Chair Victoria Knapp, who lost her home in the Eaton fire, and others who spoke during the press conference referenced Altadena’s history as a place where Black families who were denied opportunities to purchase property elsewhere due to discriminatory redlining were able to become homeowners in this community and build generational wealth.
“They built something lasting … something worth protecting,” Knapp said. “And that is why federal support is not just about recovery. It is about preserving what makes Altadena unique.”
“We need resources to rebuild not just homes and businesses but the fabric of our town itself,” she said.