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119-hr-3465119th CongressWALLET

Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

Introduced

Summary

Creates Civilian Conservation Centers as residential workforce training centers for underserved youth. The bill would set up campus-style training run by the Departments of the Interior or Agriculture and focus on forestry, rangeland management, and wildland firefighting to build a stronger public-lands workforce.

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  • Underserved youth and students would get paid, residential career and technical training in firefighting, forest restoration, heavy equipment, mill operations, and related trades. Programs would include career pathways, paid work hours, and permitted signing bonuses to help graduates take jobs in rural areas.
  • Federal land agencies and the wildland firefighting workforce would gain targeted recruitment tools. Each Secretary would set hiring goals that include hiring 300 covered graduates annually and the bill would authorize Direct Hire Authority beginning in fiscal year 2025 to place qualified graduates into federal roles.
  • Rural communities and agency operations would benefit from a Wildland Firefighting Housing Pilot. The pilot would identify federal properties for renovation, employ covered students to repair and expand housing for firefighters and partners, and require a prioritized renovation plan to be sent to Congress.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Students help fix firefighter housing

The bill would start a pilot to repair and add federal housing for wildland firefighters and related staff. Agencies would hire covered students to do the work and give them hands-on experience. The agencies would choose federal sites to fix or build and send Congress a prioritized project list with a plan for student staffing.

Faster hiring and bonuses for conservation center grads

Each Department would aim to hire 300 program graduates each year for wildfire or other critical jobs. Starting in fiscal year 2025, agencies could use direct hire if you meet job standards, speeding up hiring. They could offer signing bonuses and help with housing in rural or remote areas. Agencies would set career paths and employment targets for graduates. Covered students could also be paid for needed work hours.

New conservation job training for youth

This bill would define which conservation centers and students count for the program. USDA, working with the Labor Department, could run pilot job courses at these centers. Training could cover wildfire response, heavy equipment, forestry, and habitat work. The agencies would recruit students, improve facilities and gear, and hire specialized teachers when possible. Programs would be prioritized at certain workforce centers named in federal law, and students could help deliver real projects tied to contracts and grants.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

OR • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 5/15/2025

  • Rep. Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2]

    KY • R

    Sponsored 5/15/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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