PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] · D–CO
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Dec 19, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-03-06 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposal would raise base pay for eligible Forest Service and Interior Department wildland firefighters. It would also provide extra pay for qualifying deployments and allow paid recovery leave for firefighters and certain other employees responding to incidents. It would permit a limited transfer of existing funds to help continue temporary firefighter salary increases. These are proposed changes; the supplied record does not establish enactment.
a wildland firefighter is entitled to a special base rate at grades 1 through 15
A covered employee who satisfies the conditions under subsection (b) is entitled to premium pay for the period in which the covered employee is deployed to respond to the applicable qualifying incident.
A covered employee may receive paid rest and recuperation leave following the completion of service in which the covered employee is deployed to respond to a qualifying incident, subject to the policies prescribed under this subsection.
as necessary to continue uninterrupted the Federal wildland firefighter base salary increase described in section 40803(d)(4)(B) of that Act
2025-03-06: Introduced in House
Section 1 would name the proposal the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025.
This Act may be cited as the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025.
The special base pay would cover qualifying firefighters employed by the Forest Service or Interior Department whose duties primarily concern wildland fires rather than building fires. Eligibility would rely partly on existing statutory firefighter definitions.
the term firefighter means an employee who— (A) is a firefighter within the meaning of section 8331(21) or section 8401(14)
the term wildland firefighter means a firefighter— (A) who is employed by the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior; and (B) the duties of the position of whom relate primarily to wildland fires, as opposed to structure fires.
The firefighter definition would also include certain supervisors and administrators who would qualify if they had transferred directly from qualifying firefighting service. For employees covered by chapter 84, that hypothetical prior service must include at least three years of the specified duties. The Office of Personnel Management would determine whether positions held by employees outside the referenced retirement systems meet equivalent criteria.
(B) in the case of an employee who holds a supervisory or administrative position and is subject to subchapter III of chapter 83, but who does not qualify to be considered a firefighter within the meaning of section 8331(21), would otherwise qualify if the employee had transferred directly to that position after serving as a firefighter within the meaning of that section; (C) in the case of an employee who holds a supervisory or administrative position and is subject to chapter 84, but who does not qualify to be considered a firefighter within the meaning of section 8401(14), would otherwise qualify if the employee had transferred directly to that position after performing duties described in section 8401(14)(A) for at least 3 years; or (D) in the case of an employee who is not subject to subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84, holds a position that the Office of Personnel Management determines would satisfy subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) if the employee were subject to subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84
For the General Schedule federal pay system, the proposal would increase the otherwise applicable annual base rate by these percentages: grades 1–5, respectively, 42%, 39%, 36%, 33% and 30%; grades 6–10, 27%, 24%, 21%, 18% and 15%; and grades 11–15, 12%, 9%, 6%, 3% and 1.5%. The result would be rounded to the nearest dollar. These percentages apply to base pay before locality payments and other additions.
the term General Schedule base rate means an annual rate of basic pay established under section 5332 before any additions, such as a locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or 5304a or a special rate supplement under section 5305
The special base rate for a wildland firefighter shall be derived by increasing the otherwise applicable General Schedule base rate for the wildland firefighter by the following applicable percentage for the grade of the wildland firefighter and rounding the result to the nearest whole dollar: (i) For GS–1, 42 percent. (ii) For GS–2, 39 percent. (iii) For GS–3, 36 percent. (iv) For GS–4, 33 percent. (v) For GS–5, 30 percent. (vi) For GS–6, 27 percent. (vii) For GS–7, 24 percent. (viii) For GS–8, 21 percent. (ix) For GS–9, 18 percent. (x) For GS–10, 15 percent. (xi) For GS–11, 12 percent. (xii) For GS–12, 9 percent. (xiii) For GS–13, 6 percent. (xiv) For GS–14, 3 percent. (xv) For GS–15, 1.5 percent.
The new rate would replace the ordinary General Schedule base rate and count as basic pay for all purposes, including calculating geographic pay adjustments called locality payments. It would adjust when General Schedule rates adjust. Hourly, daily, weekly and biweekly rates would be calculated from the annual rate under existing statutory conversion rules.
(A) replace the otherwise applicable General Schedule base rate for the wildland firefighter; (B) be basic pay for all purposes, including the purpose of computing a locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or 5304a; and (C) be computed as described in paragraph (2) and adjusted at the time of adjustments in the General Schedule.
When the special base rate with respect to a wildland firefighter is expressed as an hourly, daily, weekly, or biweekly rate, the special base rate shall be computed from the appropriate annual rate of basic pay derived under subparagraph (A) in accordance with the rules under section 5504(b).
Eligible firefighters in the separate prevailing-rate wage system would also receive increases. The responsible Secretary would choose the amount after consulting the other Secretary, with increases generally consistent with the General Schedule percentages. The increased wage would retain its basic-pay treatment, but the increase could not produce an annualized rate above Executive Schedule level IV, a statutory federal pay benchmark.
For a prevailing rate employee described in section 5342(a)(2)(A) who is a wildland firefighter, as defined in section 5332a(a), the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior (as applicable) shall increase the wage rates of that employee by an amount (determined at the sole and exclusive discretion of the applicable Secretary after consultation with the other Secretary) that is generally consistent with the percentage increases given to wildland firefighters in the General Schedule under section 5332a.
(2) An increased wage rate under paragraph (1) shall be basic pay for the same purposes as the wage rate otherwise established under this section. (3) An increase under this subsection may not cause the wage rate of an employee to increase to a rate that would produce an annualized rate in excess of the annual rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule.
Both the base-pay changes and incident-response extra pay would take effect at the start of the first applicable pay period after the final pay period covered by the temporary federal wildland firefighter salary increases referenced in the bill. The provisions use that event rather than a fixed calendar date.
The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning after the last day of the last pay period for which Federal wildland firefighter temporary salary increases were in effect
The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning after the last day of the last pay period for which Federal wildland firefighter temporary salary increases were in effect
Incident-response extra pay would cover Forest Service and Interior Department wildland firefighters and other employees whom their agency certifies to perform incident-related duties during qualifying deployments.
the term covered employee means an employee of the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior who is— (A) a wildland firefighter, as defined in section 5332a(a); or (B) certified by the applicable agency to perform wildland fire incident-related duties during the period that employee is deployed to respond to a qualifying incident
Qualifying incidents would include wildfires, legally planned burns, advance positioning in areas at high wildfire risk, and similar incidents designated by either Secretary. An initial response in which the wildfire is contained within 36 hours would be excluded.
the term prescribed fire incident means a wildland fire originating from a planned ignition in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and regulations to meet specific objectives
the term qualifying incident— (A) means— (i) a wildfire incident, a prescribed fire incident, or a severity incident; or (ii) an incident that the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior determines is similar in nature to an incident described in clause (i); and (B) does not include an initial response (including an initial attack fire) in which a wildfire is contained within 36 hours
the term severity incident means an incident in which a covered employee is pre-positioned in an area in which conditions indicate there is a high risk of wildfires.
To receive incident-response extra pay, a covered employee would have to deploy to a qualifying incident outside their official duty station, or deploy within it while assigned to an incident-adjacent fire camp or another designated field location. Entitlement would last for the qualifying deployment.
A covered employee is eligible for incident response premium pay under this section if— (1) the covered employee is deployed to respond to a qualifying incident; and (2) the deployment described in paragraph (1) is— (A) outside of the official duty station of the covered employee; or (B) within the official duty station of the covered employee and the covered employee is assigned to an incident-adjacent fire camp or other designated field location.
A covered employee who satisfies the conditions under subsection (b) is entitled to premium pay for the period in which the covered employee is deployed to respond to the applicable qualifying incident.
Subject to the bill's adjustment authority, daily incident-response extra pay would equal 4.5 times the employee's hourly basic pay, rounded to the nearest cent. For employees whose annual basic pay exceeds the GS–10, step 10 rate, daily premium pay would be calculated using that rate in the applicable locality. Total payments would be capped at $9,000 per calendar year.
Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), premium pay under paragraph (1) shall be paid to a covered employee at a daily rate of 450 percent of the hourly rate of basic pay of the covered employee for each day that the covered employee satisfies the requirements under subsection (b), rounded to the nearest whole cent.
Premium pay under this subsection— (i) with respect to a covered employee for whom the annual rate of basic pay is greater than that for step 10 of GS–10, shall be paid at the daily rate established under subparagraph (A) for the applicable rate for step 10 of GS–10 (where the applicable rate is the rate in effect in the same locality that is the basis for a locality-based comparability payment payable to the covered employee under section 5304); and (ii) may not be paid to a covered employee in a total amount that exceeds $9,000 in any calendar year.
The Agriculture and Interior Secretaries would have to compare average total compensation by grade in fiscal years 2023 and 2024. They would jointly publish their assessment within 180 days after the first anniversary of the section's effective date.
The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall assess the difference between the average total amount of compensation that was paid to covered employees, by grade, in fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
Not later than 180 days after the date that is 1 year after the effective date of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall jointly publish a report on the results of the assessment conducted under clause (i).
After publishing the assessment, the Secretaries could jointly adjust extra pay or take other administrative action, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, to bring average annual total compensation by grade closer to fiscal year 2023 amounts. This is discretionary authority, not a guarantee of any individual's compensation. They would have to notify the designated congressional committees within three days after an action becomes final.
After publishing the report required under clause (ii), the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, may, in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Secretaries acting jointly, administratively adjust the amount of premium pay paid under this subsection (or take other administrative action) to ensure that the average annual amount of total compensation paid to covered employees, by grade, is more consistent with such amount that was paid to those employees in fiscal year 2023.
Not later than 3 days after an adjustment made, or other administrative action taken, under clause (iii) becomes final, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a notification regarding that adjustment or other administrative action, as applicable.
Incident-response extra pay would not count as basic pay. It would also be excluded from accumulated annual-leave payouts, pay calculations under section 8114, pay for leave or other time off when the extra pay is unavailable, and minimum-wage and overtime calculations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Incident response premium pay under this section— (1) is not considered part of the basic pay of a covered employee for any purpose; (2) may not be considered in determining the lump-sum payment of a covered employee for accumulated and accrued annual leave under section 5551 or section 5552; (3) may not be used in determining pay under section 8114; (4) may not be considered in determining pay for hours of paid leave or other paid time off during which the premium pay is not payable; and (5) shall be disregarded in determining the minimum wage and overtime pay to which a covered employee is entitled under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.).
Eligible prevailing-rate employees would receive incident-response extra pay on the same terms as other covered employees. The bill would also add the new extra-pay section to the statutory references in section 5547(a); the supplied text does not reproduce that existing provision, so its full effect cannot be determined from this bundle.
A prevailing rate employee described in section 5342(a)(2)(A) shall receive incident response premium pay under the same terms and conditions that apply to a covered employee under section 5545c if that employee— (1) is employed by the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior; and (2) (A) is a wildland firefighter, as defined in section 5332a(a); or (B) is certified by the applicable agency to perform wildland fire incident-related duties during the period the employee is deployed to respond to a qualifying incident (as defined in section 5545c(a)).
in section 5547(a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting 5545c, after 5545a,
Section 4 would allow paid rest and recovery leave after qualifying deployments for eligible Forest Service and Interior Department firefighters and other employees certified by the responsible Secretary. Firefighter eligibility for leave would use the employee definition in section 6301(2) instead of section 5331(a). The Secretaries would have to establish uniform policies governing the leave.
the term covered employee means an employee of the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior who— (A) qualifies as a wildland firefighter based on the definitions of the terms firefighter and wildland firefighter in section 5332a(a) (applying the definition of employee in section 6301(2) in lieu of the definition of employee in section 5331(a)); or (B) is certified by the applicable Secretary to perform wildland fire incident-related duties during the period the employee is deployed to respond to a qualifying incident
A covered employee may receive paid rest and recuperation leave following the completion of service in which the covered employee is deployed to respond to a qualifying incident, subject to the policies prescribed under this subsection.
The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall, in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Secretaries acting jointly, prescribe uniform policies described in paragraph (1) after consulting with the other applicable Secretary.
The leave policies could set a maximum deployment length, measured from departure from the duty station through return, followed by a minimum recovery period. They could alternatively include a rule prohibiting work averaging more than 16 hours per day over a 14-day deployment period. The bill permits these policy choices rather than directly imposing either limit.
The policies prescribed under paragraph (2) may include— (A) a maximum period of days in which a covered employee is deployed to respond to a qualifying incident, which shall— (i) begin on the date on which the covered employee departs from the official duty station of the covered employee and end on the date on which the covered employee returns to the official duty station of the covered employee; and (ii) be followed by a minimum number of days of rest and recuperation for the covered employee; or (B) a requirement that prohibits a covered employee from working more than 16 hours per day on average over a 14-day period during which the covered employee is deployed to respond to a qualifying incident.
Granted recovery leave would be taken during scheduled work hours, paid like annual leave and used immediately after a qualifying incident. Employees could neither save it for later nor receive a payout for unused recovery leave.
Rest and recuperation leave granted under this section— (A) shall be used during scheduled hours within the tour of duty of the applicable covered employee established for leave-charging purposes; (B) shall be paid in the same manner as annual leave; (C) shall be used immediately after a qualifying incident; and (D) may not be set aside for later use.
A covered employee may not receive any payment for unused rest and recuperation leave granted under this section.
Covered employees with intermittent work schedules would have to be excused from duty for the same recovery period as other covered employees in the same circumstances. They would receive payment as though entitled to recovery leave.
A covered employee with an intermittent work schedule— (1) shall be excused from duty during the same period of time that other covered employees in the same circumstances are entitled to rest and recuperation leave; and (2) shall receive a payment as if the covered employee were entitled to rest and recuperation leave under subsection (b).
Section 5 would authorize, but not require, transferring up to $5 million in existing Forest Service wildland fire funds that have not yet been committed to obligations into Interior Department wildland fire funds. The transfer could be made as necessary to continue the specified federal firefighter salary increase without interruption. This is authority to move existing funds, not a new appropriation.
Notwithstanding section 40803(c)(2) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592(c)(2)), not more than $5,000,000 of the unobligated balances of amounts made available under the heading Wildland Fire Management under the heading Forest Service under the heading Department of Agriculture in title VI of division J of that Act (Public Law 117–58; 135 Stat. 1410) pursuant to section 40803(c)(2)(B) of that Act (16 U.S.C. 6592(c)(2)(B)) may, as necessary to continue uninterrupted the Federal wildland firefighter base salary increase described in section 40803(d)(4)(B) of that Act (16 U.S.C. 6592(d)(4)(B)), be transferred to and merged with the amounts made available under the heading Wildland Fire Management under the heading Department-wide programs under the heading Department of the Interior in title VI of division J of that Act (Public Law 117–58; 135 Stat. 1393).
The supplied action snapshot, updated December 19, 2025, records House introduction and referral to the Oversight and Government Reform, Natural Resources, and Agriculture committees on March 6, 2025. It also records referral to the Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee on March 28, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2025-12-19T09:07:29Z.
2025-03-06: Introduced in House
2025-03-06: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2025-03-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-03-06. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish the contents or attachment history of other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places outside competitive or formula allocation was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; absent requests, disclosures and accompanying materials limit assessment of formal earmark status and do not establish absence elsewhere.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out or preferential exception beyond the program's intended employee coverage was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish the absence of such provisions in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Dec 19, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI