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HR435119th CongressWALLET

Direct Hire To Fight Fires

Sponsored By: Representative Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would create a new _direct-hire authority_ to speed hiring of wildland firefighters and key firefighting support staff, and it would require hiring reforms plus public annual reports to track needs and barriers.

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  • Wildland firefighters and applicants: The bill would let the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior appoint qualified candidates to covered firefighting and support roles without the usual competitive hiring rules. It cites specific series as examples, such as Forestry Technician (GS-0462) and Aircraft Operation (GS-2181).
  • Agency hiring managers: The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, working with the Office of Personnel Management, would have 1 year to adopt policies that shorten hiring time, remove redundant steps, make it easier for former agency employees to rejoin, and reduce barriers to transfers.
  • Congress and the public: Agencies would submit annual reports starting one year after enactment and due each Feb 1 showing projected staffing needs, planned hiring events, vacancies by state, hiring barriers, use of the direct-hire authority, and recommendations. Those reports must be posted on a public website.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Faster federal hiring for firefighters

If enacted, the bill would let the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior directly hire qualified wildland firefighters and firefighting support staff without the usual competitive hiring steps. It would apply to Forest Service and Interior positions in the listed job series, for example Forestry Technician (GS-0462) and Aircraft Operation (GS-2181), and other series that support firefighting. The bill would also require the agencies, working with the Office of Personnel Management, to put new hiring rules in place within one year to cut hiring time, remove duplicate steps, make rehiring former agency firefighters easier, and lower barriers to transfers. Starting one year after enactment and each February 1 after that, the agencies would report to Congress and post public reports showing projected staffing needs, hiring plans, vacancies, barriers to hiring, and recommendations.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]

CA • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Kiley, Kevin [I-CA-3]

    CA • I

    Sponsored 1/15/2025

  • Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23]

    CA • R

    Sponsored 1/15/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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