H.R.1943 - Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025 (119th Congress)
Summary
H.R.1943, the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025, aims to improve the compensation and working conditions for federal wildland firefighters. It amends Title 5 of the United States Code to establish special base rates of pay and incident response premium pay for these employees. The bill also provides for rest and recuperation leave and allows for the transfer of funds to ensure uninterrupted salary increases.
Expected Effects
The bill will likely result in increased pay and improved benefits for wildland firefighters employed by the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. This could lead to better recruitment and retention of qualified personnel. The changes aim to address the demanding and hazardous nature of their work.
Potential Benefits
- Increased base pay for wildland firefighters, potentially improving their financial stability.
- Provision of incident response premium pay, compensating firefighters for hazardous deployments.
- Establishment of rest and recuperation leave, addressing the physical and mental toll of firefighting.
- Improved recruitment and retention of experienced firefighters due to better compensation and benefits.
- Potential for enhanced wildland fire management due to a more stable and supported workforce.
Potential Disadvantages
- Increased government spending on wildland firefighter salaries and benefits.
- Potential for administrative complexity in implementing the new pay and leave policies.
- Possible disparities between federal and state/local wildland firefighter compensation.
- The cap on incident response premium pay ($9,000 annually) may not fully compensate some firefighters for extensive deployments.
- The discretionary nature of adjustments to premium pay by the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior could lead to inconsistencies.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the General Welfare Clause (Preamble) by aiming to provide for the well-being of wildland firefighters, who provide a critical public service. Congress has the power to legislate on matters relating to federal employees and the management of federal lands under Article I, Section 8. The bill does not appear to infringe upon any specific constitutional rights or limitations.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).