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H.R. 435119th CongressIn markupLatest action Jan 8, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 435 lets federal agencies bypass standard hiring rules to fill wildland firefighter and support jobs faster, especially during peak wildfire seasons.
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HR 435 allows federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to skip standard competitive ranking and selection steps when hiring wildland firefighters and support staff. Covered positions include forestry technicians, aircraft operators, equipment specialists, and dispatchers. Within one year of enactment, agencies must also streamline their hiring processes by cutting timelines, removing redundant steps, easing rehiring of returning seasonal workers, and reducing barriers to moving between agencies.
The bill directly affects current and prospective federal wildland firefighters and support workers. Communities in fire-prone areas, particularly in western states, are also affected because they rely on these agencies to protect land and lives.
Staffing shortages during peak wildfire seasons have posed serious operational problems for federal firefighting agencies. The bill's reporting requirement, beginning one year after enactment, would create an annual public record of workforce levels, vacancies, and hiring obstacles submitted to Congress.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-432, Part I.