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Support our Firefighters Act

USA119th CongressHR-9444| House 
| Updated: 6/24/2026
Jimmy Panetta

Jimmy Panetta

Democratic Representative

California

Cosponsors (9)
Andrea Salinas (Democratic)Derek Tran (Democratic)Don Bacon (Republican)Josh Harder (Democratic)Joe Neguse (Democratic)Michael Lawler (Republican)Robert P. Bresnahan (Republican)Susie Lee (Democratic)Jack Bergman (Republican)

Agriculture Committee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Natural Resources Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This bill, known as the "Support our Firefighters Act," establishes a new system for paid rest and recuperation leave for federal wildland firefighters. This leave is specifically for employees of the Forest Service and Department of the Interior who are deployed to respond to qualifying incidents , acknowledging the intense physical and mental demands of their service. The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior are mandated to jointly develop uniform policies for this leave, which may include requirements like 3 days of leave after a 14-day deployment or 4 days after a 21-day deployment . This leave must be used immediately after an incident, is paid like annual leave, and cannot be saved or cashed out, with intermittent employees receiving equivalent payment during these periods. In addition to leave provisions, the legislation addresses critical financial aspects for wildland firefighters. It authorizes the transfer of up to $5,000,000 in unobligated funds from the Forest Service to the Department of the Interior to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of federal wildland firefighter base salary increases and associated premium pay. Furthermore, the bill permanently extends the waiver of overtime caps for wildland firefighters, applying to "any calendar year thereafter," providing ongoing flexibility and fair compensation for their extended work hours.
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Timeline
Mar 26, 2026

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 119-4271
Introduced in Senate
Jun 24, 2026
Introduced in House
Jun 24, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Natural Resources, 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.
  • March 26, 2026

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 119-4271
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 24, 2026
    Introduced in House


  • June 24, 2026
    Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Natural Resources, 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.

Government Operations and Politics

Support our Firefighters Act

USA119th CongressHR-9444| House 
| Updated: 6/24/2026
This bill, known as the "Support our Firefighters Act," establishes a new system for paid rest and recuperation leave for federal wildland firefighters. This leave is specifically for employees of the Forest Service and Department of the Interior who are deployed to respond to qualifying incidents , acknowledging the intense physical and mental demands of their service. The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior are mandated to jointly develop uniform policies for this leave, which may include requirements like 3 days of leave after a 14-day deployment or 4 days after a 21-day deployment . This leave must be used immediately after an incident, is paid like annual leave, and cannot be saved or cashed out, with intermittent employees receiving equivalent payment during these periods. In addition to leave provisions, the legislation addresses critical financial aspects for wildland firefighters. It authorizes the transfer of up to $5,000,000 in unobligated funds from the Forest Service to the Department of the Interior to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of federal wildland firefighter base salary increases and associated premium pay. Furthermore, the bill permanently extends the waiver of overtime caps for wildland firefighters, applying to "any calendar year thereafter," providing ongoing flexibility and fair compensation for their extended work hours.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Mar 26, 2026

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 119-4271
Introduced in Senate
Jun 24, 2026
Introduced in House
Jun 24, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Natural Resources, 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.
  • March 26, 2026

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 119-4271
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 24, 2026
    Introduced in House


  • June 24, 2026
    Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Natural Resources, 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.
Jimmy Panetta

Jimmy Panetta

Democratic Representative

California

Cosponsors (9)
Andrea Salinas (Democratic)Derek Tran (Democratic)Don Bacon (Republican)Josh Harder (Democratic)Joe Neguse (Democratic)Michael Lawler (Republican)Robert P. Bresnahan (Republican)Susie Lee (Democratic)Jack Bergman (Republican)

Agriculture Committee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Natural Resources Committee

Government Operations and Politics

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted