East Idaho Times

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, has secured a provision in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act that ensures permanent funding for Wildland Fire Management. This includes addressing the pay structure for wildland firefighters. The act was passed by Congress on March 14 and subsequently signed into law by President Trump.

"The men and women who fight catastrophic wildfires across the nation deserve stability and adequate compensation for their courageous work," stated Rep. Simpson. "A permanent pay fix for our wildland firefighters will strengthen recruitment and retention while providing financial security to the first responders who protect our communities. I have long fought for this critical provision, and I am grateful to my colleagues and the Trump administration for their support in making it a reality."

The Interior Appropriations bill introduced by Congressman Simpson included this permanent pay adjustment for federal wildland firefighters and successfully passed through the House in July 2024. Additionally, Rep. Simpson released an op-ed discussing the necessity of this permanent pay fix.

The full text of the bill is available online.