Direct Hire To Fight Fires

Hozzl · 2025-07-17T11:31:36Z

Explore the details of House Bill 435 Direct Hire To Fight Fires currently in Congress. Get insights into its purpose, current status, sponsors, and potential impact on Government Operations and Politics. Stay informed on legislative developments.

7/17/2025, 11:31 AM

Summary of Bill HR 435

Bill 119 hr 435, also known as the Direct Hire Authority for Wildland Firefighters Act, aims to amend title 5 of the United States Code to allow for direct hire authority for individuals seeking Federal wildland firefighting and firefighting support positions within the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior. This means that these agencies will have the ability to appoint individuals directly to these critical positions without having to go through the traditional competitive hiring process.

The purpose of this bill is to streamline the hiring process for wildland firefighters and support personnel, allowing for quicker and more efficient recruitment of qualified individuals to combat wildfires and provide essential support services. By providing direct hire authority, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior will be better equipped to respond to wildfires and other emergencies in a timely manner.

Overall, the Direct Hire Authority for Wildland Firefighters Act seeks to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Federal wildland firefighting efforts by ensuring that these agencies have the necessary personnel in place to respond to emergencies quickly and effectively. This bill is an important step towards enhancing the capabilities of our nation's firefighting agencies and protecting our public lands and communities from the devastating impacts of wildfires.

Congressional Summary of HR 435

Direct Hire To Fight Fires

This bill provides permanent direct-hire authority to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior to fill wildland firefighter and firefighting support positions in the Forest Service and Interior agencies.

The bill also requires USDA and Interior to implement policies to recruit and retain wildland firefighters and related personnel, such as by streamlining the hiring process and reducing barriers for firefighters transferring between agencies.

Further, the bill requires USDA and Interior to annually report related data to Congress, including the number of firefighters needed for the coming year, the number of firefighting vacancies in each state, and existing barriers to filling such vacancies. The report must also be made available on a public website.

Read the Full Bill

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Current Status of Bill HR 435

Bill HR 435 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since January 15, 2025. Bill HR 435 was introduced during Congress 119 and was introduced to the House on January 15, 2025. Bill HR 435's most recent activity was Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent. as of July 15, 2025

Bipartisan Support of Bill HR 435

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Total Number of Cosponsors

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Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill HR 435

Primary Policy Focus

Government Operations and Politics

Alternate Title(s) of Bill HR 435

To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide direct hire authority to appoint individuals to Federal wildland firefighting and firefighting support positions in the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes.

Comments

Tru Erickson

452

4 months ago

I can't believe this bill is even being considered. It's ridiculous that they think hiring more people to fight fires is the solution. This is just going to waste taxpayer money and create more problems in the long run. It's frustrating to see our government making such poor decisions. Those who will be affected by this bill are the taxpayers who will have to foot the bill for this unnecessary hiring spree.