Congress·Reported·H.R. 435

Direct Hire To Fight Fires

Congress seeks faster hiring and public staffing reports for federal wildland firefighting crews

Jan 8·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

This bill is one vehicle in a longer effort. See the full story across every version.View effort →

Next up: The HouseNo action in 6 months

The House must act next: a House floor vote.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

How we got here

This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.

Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 3499 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 3499 (118th) →

Key Points

Congress would let the Forest Service and Interior Department hire wildland firefighters faster, without using some normal federal hiring steps.
It would cover frontline firefighting jobs and key support roles like aviation, dispatch, equipment, and certain natural resources positions.
Within 1 year of the law taking effect, the agencies would have to cut delays and repeat steps in the hiring process, including for people returning from past seasons.
It would also try to make it easier for firefighters to transfer between federal agencies instead of starting over.
Each year, the agencies would have to publish a public report showing staffing needs, current staff, vacancies by state, hiring plans, and what’s blocking hiring.

Labor EmploymentEnvironmentClimate Change

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(1)

Federal Employee

Neutral

Positive Impacts(8)

Unemployment Benefits

Helps

Small Business Owner

Helps

Gig Worker

Helps

Housing Assistance

Helps

Chronic Illness

Helps

Child Tax Credit

Helps

Homeowner

Helps

Renter

Helps

Milestones

5 milestones6 actions

Jan 8, 2026House

Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-432, Part I.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Jul 15, 2025House

Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Jul 15, 2025House

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Apr 4, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Jan 15, 2025House

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.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

No votes, news coverage, or related bills recorded for this bill yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Direct Hire To Fight Fires

Bill NumberHR 435

Congress119th Congress

ChamberHouse of Representatives

Latest ActionReported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-432, Part I.

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Read Full Bill Text

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)

R: 2

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.