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Daines, Lankford Introduce Bill to Streamline Ability to Hire Wildland Firefighters

November 9, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced the “Direct Hire to Fight Fires Act” that would provide the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior (DOI) permanent Direct Hire Authority to streamline the hiring process for skilled personnel in the firefighting or firefighting support capacity. The bill also directs the Forest Service and DOI to identify policies and propose changes to reduce the time and complexity of hiring wildland firefighters and support personnel. “Year after year, our Montana communities are devastated by wildfires and our brave firefighters’ response to these fires protects lives and our public

Daines Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Raise Overtime Pay Cap for Wildland Firefighters

November 2, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines helped introduce bipartisan legislation to permanently raise the caps on overtime premium pay for federal wildland firefighters. The “Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act” would increase these overtime pay caps to appropriately compensate Forest Service and Department of the Interior wildland firefighters for the work they do. Despite risking their lives and traveling cross-country for months at a time to protect American communities and forests from catastrophic wildfires, many of the more than 11,000 wildland firefighters live paycheck to paycheck. This has contributed to a firefighter workforce shortage — already, 20 percent of Forest Service permanent firefighter positions are

Daines Calls on Senate Leadership to Support Montana Wildland Firefighters, Protect Increased Pay

September 26, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined a group of bipartisan senators in urging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to avoid mass resignations of Montana wildland firefighters and promptly pass their bipartisan “Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act.” Daines secured a pay raise for federal wildland firefighters in his “Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act” that will expire on October 1. “Due to the dangers that wildfires pose to our forests and communities, a lack of action to ensure the fair treatment of our federal wildland firefighting workforce would jeopardize national security. Therefore, we request that

Daines Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Make Pay Raise for Wildland Firefighters Permanent 

July 14, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines helped introduce the bipartisan “Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act”to maintain the pay raise secured for Montana wildland firefighters in Daines’ bipartisan “Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act” that was signed into law in 2021. Daines’ “Wildland Firefighter Recognition Act” which was also signed into law in 2021 and required the Office of Personnel Management to create a job series for wildland firefighters that recognized the dangerous work they do and also helped pave the way for this critical boost in compensation. “As fire season devastates Montana communities year after year, Montana wildland firefighters put everything on the line to protect Montana families and towns. I was glad to work with my colleagues across

Daines Calls for Passage of bipartisan 9th Circuit Cottonwood fix, highlights efforts to support wildland firefighters at Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

June 8, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today called attention to the serious threat of wildfires as smoke covers East Coast skies and highlighted the importance of passing his full and permanent fix for the 9th Circuit Cottonwood decision. Click HERE to download his remarks. Daines: When you woke up this morning in Washington, you might have opened your windows up and heard the birds coughing outside. It’s no secret that wildfire season is upon us. My guess is that folks on the East Coast are already sick of the smoke. We’re already hearing about ground stops at the Philadelphia airport,

Daines talks wildfire at firefighters conference in Bozeman

May 23, 2023

Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle Republican Sen. Steve Daines addressed expectations on first responders, wildfire and the Cottonwood decision at the Montana Professional Firefighters Convention in Bozeman Monday. The senator opened his remarks to a room full of firefighters from across the state by describing how Bozeman and Gallatin County have changed over the years. Daines said that the area has grown since he grew up in Bozeman — now there are more than 50,000 people in the city and more than 100,000 in Gallatin County. “The expectations of people that we serve together have changed a lot,” Daines said. Daines

Daines Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Boost Specialized Wildland Firefighter Training at Montana Civilian Conservation Centers

April 21, 2023

U.S. SENATE—U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced the bipartisan “Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act” to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to offer specialized training, specifically wildland firefighter training, to Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center students. This would create a pipeline for young Montanans to enter into careers fighting fires and caring for public lands. “As Montana faces devastating wildfires season after season and the forestry sector continues to face labor shortages, we need to be doing everything we can to ensure we have an experienced team of wildland firefighters to protect our local communities,” Daines said. “Investing in our

Daines Introduces Bill to Protect Montana Communities, Firefighters from Wildfires 

March 15, 2023

U.S. SENATE –Today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced the “Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act” to protect firefighters, communities and property in Montana and throughout the West from the devastating impacts of wildfires. The bill ensures the continued use of fire retardant to manage wildfires and protect communities and firefighters. “In recent years, Montana has suffered catastrophic wildfire seasons. We must do everything we can to cut bureaucratic red tape and put an end to frivolous litigation that’s preventing our brave firefighters from using all means necessary to protect our Montana families and communities from these deadly flames,” said Daines. Daines joined Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho),

Daines Calls on Biden Admin to Address Housing Issues for Wildland Firefighters

January 19, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today led a group of bipartisan senators calling on the Biden administration to provide information on the availability and cost of federal firefighter housing. In many states, including Montana, housing issues are a key barrier to firefighter recruitment and retention. “On November 17, 2022, the Government Accountability Office published a report on the barriers to wildland firefighter recruitment and retention, and one of the primary barriers identified by the report was the cost associated with a remote duty station, including the costs for federal housing. This finding confirms the anecdotes we have heard from

Daines, Feinstein Bipartisan Senate Resolution Honoring Wildland Firefighters Passes U.S. Senate

November 30, 2022

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today announced the Senate passed their bipartisan Senate resolution recognizing the selfless bravery of wildland firefighters and first responders across the country. “Montana’s wildland firefighters and first responders are heroes—they put their lives on the line without hesitation to protect our families and local communities from devastating wildfires. I am glad to recognize them, today and every day, for their bravery, sacrifice, and heroism, and will always work to ensure they have the resources and support they need every fire season,” Daines said. “Wildland firefighters are on the frontlines protecting us from catastrophic wildfires, especially in California. More than 20,000