[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 8, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       INTRODUCTION OF THE FIREFIGHTERS PAY FAIRNESS ACT OF 1995

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                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, February 8, 1995
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, as a dedicated member and former chairman of 
the fire services caucus, I am proud to introduce the Firefighters Pay 
Fairness Act of 1995.
  Mr. Speaker, every day over 10,000 Federal firefighters around the 
country put their lives on the line to protect our lives and property. 
They work exhausting shifts and take on the greatest of physical and 
mental challenges. We have an obligation to properly compensate them 
for their work.
  For far too long, our Federal firefighters have received 
significantly inadequate pay for their hard work. Under the present 
system, Federal firefighters work over 25 percent more hours a week, 
yet earn nearly 44 percent less per hour than the average municipal 
firefighter. Furthermore, the average Federal firefighter is also paid 
significantly less per hour than their Federal employee counterparts.
  Mr. Speaker, Federal firefighters currently work an average of 72 
hours, while there municipal counterparts work an average of 50 hours. 
Meanwhile, Federal firefighters are paid an average hourly rate of 
$7.34, while the municipal firefighters earn an average of $12.88.
  I introduced this legislation to correct the inequities that exist 
under the present system. This is not an issue about rewarding 
firefighters for their hard work. Moreover, this should not be viewed 
as a complimentary pay raise. Rather, this is an issue surrounding 
fairness comparability. These firefighters work endless work days, put 
their lives on the line for our constituents, and deserve to have a 
fair and equitable pay system.
  This bill does nothing more than seek fair and equal pay rates for 
Federal firefighters. It will employ the existing statutory provisions 
of the Federal general schedule pay system to compute their hourly pay. 
Thus, Federal firefighters will earn equal pay as compared to their 
Federal employee counterparts. It also seeks to pay all firefighters, 
including those who are not defined solely as Federal firefighters, 
including forestry technicians. These forestry firefighters have braved 
the brushfires in California and throughout the West over the past 
several years and thus, deserve adequate compensation.
  Mr. Speaker, far too many Federal firefighters have had to work under 
the inequitable pay system that we presently have. Moreover, upon 
completion of their required training, many Federal firefighters leave 
for the private sector where they can earn a larger salary. Thus, this 
lengthy, expensive training process goes for naught when a firefighter 
leaves the Federal fire system. It is our duty and responsibility to 
both those firefighters and the people they protect and serve, to 
reverse the ills of this system. We should not let another day go by 
where our Federal firefighters are put in an unfair position as 
compared to other municipal firefighters and Federal employees.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleagues will join with me in support 
of this legislation to replace the present inequities of this pay 
system with a fair, comparable pay structure for our Federal 
firefighters.


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