HR 5619

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 30, 2025

Ms. 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 concerned

A BILL

To 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.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

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

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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. <all>