119 HR 5619 IH: Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-09-30 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I119th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 5619IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 30, 2025Ms. Bynum (for herself, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Whitesides, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Deluzio, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Elfreth, Mr. Fields, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Hoyle of Oregon, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Ms. McClellan, Mr. Peters, Ms. Ross, Ms. Salinas, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Thompson of California, and Ms. Schrier) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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 concernedA BILLTo ensure continuity of pay and allowances for Federal firefighters and protect Federal firefighters from reductions in force in the event of a lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act.

2.

Continuing appropriations for pay and allowances for firefighters

(a)

In general

There are hereby appropriated for fiscal year 2026, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for any period during which interim or full-year appropriations for fiscal year 2026 are not in effect, such sums as are necessary to provide pay and allowances to Federal firefighters. (b)

Termination

Appropriations and funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this section shall be available until the earlier of— (1)the date of the enactment of an appropriation (including a continuing appropriation) for any purpose for which amounts are made available under subsection (a); (2)the date of the enactment of the applicable regular or continuing appropriations resolution or other Act without any appropriation for such purpose; or (3)January 1, 2027.

3.

Prohibition on reductions in force of firefighters during Government shutdowns

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during any period in which there is a lapse in discretionary appropriations, no Federal firefighter may be removed from the civil service due to a reduction in force.

4.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Civil service, Executive agency; military department

The terms civil service, Executive agency, and military department have the meanings given such term in sections 2101, 105, and 102, respectively, of title 5, United States Code. (2)

Federal firefighter

The term Federal firefighter means an employee of an Executive agency or military department, the duties of whose position are primarily to perform work directly connected with the control and extinguishment of fires.