Direct Hire To Fight Fires

# Direct Hire To Fight Fires (HR 435) – Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill would make it easier for the federal government to hire wildland firefighters quickly. Currently, federal hiring follows lengthy bureaucratic processes. The bill gives the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and the Department of the Interior permanent "direct-hire" authority, meaning they could bypass some normal hiring procedures to fill firefighting positions faster. It also requires these agencies to create better policies for recruiting and keeping firefighters, such as simplifying the hiring process and making it easier for firefighters to move between federal agencies. **Who It Affects & Key Provisions:** The bill primarily affects wildland firefighters and support staff working for the federal government, as well as the Forest Service and Interior agencies that employ them.

To increase transparency, the bill requires these agencies to submit annual reports to Congress detailing how many firefighters they need, where vacancies exist by state, and what obstacles prevent them from hiring enough people. This information would also be published on a public website so the public can track progress. **Current Status:** HR 435 is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives. It was introduced by Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA).