HR 5631 United States House · 117th Congress

Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act

Summary
Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act or Tim's Act This bill addresses the pay and benefits of federal wildland firefighters and related issues. Federal wildland firefighter is defined as any temporary, seasonal, or permanent position at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Department of the Interior that maintains certain group, emergency incident management, or fire qualifications and primarily engages in or supports wildland fire management activities. Specifically, (1) the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must establish one or more classification series for federal wildland firefighter positions, and (2) USDA and the Department of the Interior shall determine each position within USDA and Interior that qualifies as a federal wildland firefighter position. The bill, among other requirements (1) establishes a pay scale for such positions, with annual adjustments; and (2) provides for hazardous duty pay. The OPM must establish guidelines for work schedules. The bill addresses issues regarding wages, unpaid leave to care for a family member, recruitment and retention bonuses, and housing allowances. USDA and Interior shall (1) establish, maintain, coordinate, and operate a voluntary tuition assistance program; (2) establish and maintain a publicly accessible, searchable Federal Wildland Firefighter Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Database; and (3) establish and carry out a program for mental health awareness and support. Additionally, the bill provides for continuation of firefighters pension coverage in case of disability and pay parity for federal structural firefighters.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Oct 2021
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Oct 19, 2021 Last action Nov 3, 2021
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
5
Key actions
1
Committee
4
Nov 3, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.
lower
Oct 27, 2021
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
lower
Oct 21, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.
lower
Oct 19, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and 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.
lower
Oct 19, 2021
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 24 co-sponsors

Sponsors