Washington, D.C. — Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement ahead of a U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hearing on the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act:
“Climate change is fueling increasingly severe fires in Colorado and across the American West. That’s why I fought to increase federal firefighter pay in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. If Congress fails to extend these increases by September, federal firefighters could see their base pay cut by as much as half – forcing dedicated and experienced firefighters to find other jobs to support themselves and their families.
“The Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act is a good start to ensure our firefighters don’t experience pay cuts. However, we need a long-term solution that encourages recruitment and meets the magnitude of the challenge. Wildland firefighters are at their breaking point, and Congress needs to give them the pay and benefits they deserve.”
In May, Bennet and Colorado U.S. Representative Joe Neguse introduced the Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act (Tim’s Act) to increase base pay, improve deployment pay, and ensure federal wildland firefighters receive paid rest and recuperation leave. Tim’s Act will also address wildland firefighter mental and physical health and provide housing, retirement, and tuition assistance benefits. The legislation is named in honor of Tim Hart, a brave smokejumper from Cody, Wyoming, who tragically lost his life on May 24, 2021, while battling the Eicks Fire in New Mexico.