U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) publicly confronted U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz on May 13, 2026, over the Trump administration's decision to change the terms and conditions for federal wildfire funding — a move that has effectively blocked Washington State from accessing 9 million in funds critical for fire response and forest management heading into peak fire season.

The Funding Dispute

The conflict centers on a December 2025 change issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) altering the terms and conditions governing how states receive federal wildfire funding. The new terms require states to certify compliance with Trump administration executive orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), immigration enforcement, and gender identity — conditions that in many cases directly conflict with the laws of Democratic-led states like Washington.

As a result, states unwilling or legally unable to sign the modified agreements have been unable to access funding that typically flows automatically each year to support firefighting capacity, hazardous fuels reduction, and forest resilience programs.

What is at Stake in Washington

The 9 million being withheld from Washington State includes:

  • Over .6 million for hazardous fuels reduction in Wildland-Urban Interface communities across northwest, southwest, eastern, and central Washington, and on the Olympic Peninsula.
  • million in Good Neighbor Authority funds that allow states to partner with federal agencies on cross-boundary forest management work.
  • State Department of Natural Resources Forest Resilience Division grants and other critical preparedness resources.

The Senate Hearing Exchange

During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Senator Cantwell pressed Chief Schultz directly on the timeline for resolving the funding blockage.

Cantwell said: "I'm very concerned, because we don't seem to be prepared on the front lines here. Because of the new restrictions on the Department of Agriculture's grants and contracts, the State of Washington cannot release 9 million in funding to help fight fires and manage our forests. How can we get your commitment to reverse that and get this money out the door?"

Schultz responded that the agency had been "working extensively with states on this issue," noting that firefighting capacity was not being impacted by the funding dispute and that states "can sign these agreements tomorrow, if they choose to sign them."

Cantwell was direct in her frustration: "The dollars aren't out the door. These are funds that flow every year normally, but now aren't flowing. I need a commitment that you're going to resolve those."

Broader Impact

Washington is not alone. Wildfire-prone states across the West are navigating the same dilemma. The NPR reported in May 2026 that the delay was causing prescribed burn groups to miss key spring burning windows and preventing staff payments. Typically, grant money would have been awarded by early 2026 in time for the spring shoulder season.

The dispute arrives at a critical time, as fire managers warn that 2026 is shaping up to be an above-average fire year for the Pacific Northwest given record-low snowpack and early fuel drying. Advocates say the funding freeze could leave communities more vulnerable precisely when preparedness spending is most urgently needed.