Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Neguse
In Committee
Summary
A dedicated special base-rate pay framework for federal wildland firefighters would be created to provide predictable, hazard-related compensation. The bill would also add incident-based premium pay and rest-and-recuperation leave tied to deployments.
Show full summary
- Would define who qualifies for the new pay regime and set how the special base rate is computed and administered. It adds incident-response premium pay tied to qualifying deployments, and that premium pay remains outside basic pay with binding caps and annualization limits.
- Would create rest-and-recuperation leave for eligible employees after defined deployment durations and require agencies to develop joint policies to manage leave and deployment practices.
- Would integrate the new pay framework with General Schedule (GS) and prevailing rate pay systems, require interagency coordination and reporting, and restrict transfers of unobligated wildland fire management funds between the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to preserve the base-salary increases.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Higher base pay for wildland firefighters
If enacted, this would raise base GS pay for federal wildland firefighters by set grade percentages (up to +42% at GS‑1 and +1.5% at GS‑15). The special rate would replace the normal GS base and would count as basic pay for locality and other calculations. For wage‑board firefighters, the Secretaries could raise rates in line with GS increases, but not above the Executive Schedule Level IV annual cap. The exact wage‑board increase would be set by the agencies. Changes would start the first pay period after the prior temporary firefighter salary boosts end.
New daily premium for fire deployments
If enacted, covered firefighters deployed to a qualifying incident would get a daily premium equal to 450% of their hourly base rate. If your annual basic pay is above GS‑10 step 10, the GS‑10 step‑10 hourly rate would be used instead. You could earn up to $9,000 in premium pay per calendar year. This premium would not count as basic pay, and agencies could adjust it after a pay review and report.
Paid rest days after fire deployments
If enacted, covered firefighters would get paid rest and recuperation leave after a deployment. You would use it right away during scheduled work hours. You could not bank it or cash it out; intermittent workers would be excused and paid as if on leave. The agencies would set uniform rules, which may limit deployment length and require rest (for example, no more than an average of 16 hours a day over 14 days).
Move wildfire funds to keep pay
If enacted, up to $5 million in unused Forest Service wildfire funds could be moved to Interior. This would be allowed only to keep the federal wildland firefighter base pay increase running without a gap. The transfer would merge into Interior’s wildfire account.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Neguse
CO • D
Cosponsors
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Bergman
MI • R
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Connolly
VA • D
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Ciscomani
AZ • R
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Lee (NV)
NV • D
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Bacon
NE • R
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Costa
CA • D
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Valadao
CA • R
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Whitesides
CA • D
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Kim
CA • R
Sponsored 3/6/2025
Lawler
NY • R
Sponsored 5/13/2025
Vasquez
NM • D
Sponsored 8/8/2025
Bresnahan
PA • R
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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