Colorado's Joe Neguse introduces bill to boost federal firefighter pay

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse last week introduced bipartisan legislation to increase pay permanently for federal wildland firefighters ahead of next month's expiration of a temporary pay boost.

The Lafayette Democrat, a founder of the congressional Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus, called swift passage of the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act essential to recruit and retain the firefighters he's characterized as "forgotten first responders."

“Our federal wildland firefighters are on the frontlines of every wildfire in our country. They are irreplaceable," Neguse said in a statement.

The bill would increase base pay, raise deployment pay, beef up compensation oversight and require paid rest and recuperation leave for federal firefighters, Neguse's office said.

If the bill doesn't make it to President Biden's desk by late September, Neguse and other advocates warned, firefighters could face a steep pay cut after Sept. 30, when a two-year pay bump funded by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law is set to expire.

Neguse called the possibility "simply unacceptable and inexcusable."

The president of the National Federation of Federal Employees Randy Erwin said that if the bill doesn't pass in time, federal firefighters could see their base pay drop by up to 50%, costing some as much as $20,000.

"If this happens, a mass exodus of highly specialized firefighters will begin that may be impossible to stop,” Erwin said in a statement.

In addition to maintaining the pay firefighters have been become accustomed to, Erwin added that the bill recognizes "the 24/7 working life of wildland firefighters while on assignment, and it calls attention to the burnout and exhaustion that these firefighters experience throughout the year."

The House is set to return from its August recess on Sept.12.

Neguse introduced the House bill, along with Republican U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Scott Franklin of Florida, Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon, and Democratic U.S. Reps. Gerry Connolly of Virginia and Katie Porter and Josh Harder, both of California. A companion bill in the Senate is led by U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent, and Republicans John Barrasso of Wyoming, Steve Daines of Montana; and Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Alex Padilla of California and Jon Tester of Montana.

“Wildland firefighters endure hellish conditions often living in remote areas for weeks on end, inhaling hazardous smoke, and enduring temperatures of up to 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit, all the while working for up to 18 hours a day to protect our families,” Harder said in a statement. “We can’t risk losing any more of our wildland firefighting force in the middle of wildfire season while more and more devastating wildfires put our homes and air quality at risk.”

The bill incorporates provisions of comprehensive firefighter pay and benefits legislation dubbed Tim's Act, which Neguse has been pushing for years. That bill is named for Tim Hart, a 36-year-old smokejumper from Cody, Wyoming, who died fighting the Eicks Fire in New Mexico two years ago.

Neguse said that while the new bill was critical to improve the ability to respond to wildfires, "it cannot be the finish line."

"I will continue to advocate for the passage and enactment of Tim’s Act — making certain our federal firefighters have the support they deserve," Neguse said.