Veteran Wildland Firefighter Employment Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 3560

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Armed Forces and National Security

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-06: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

Last Updated

2026-03-27T22:07:07Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Veteran Wildland Firefighter Employment Act of 2025 aims to create a temporary pilot program that hires veterans for wildland firefighting roles in federal agencies. It seeks to help transitioning veterans find employment while addressing staffing needs in wildfire management.

Key Provisions

• Pilot Program Setup: The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), working with the Secretaries of Agriculture (USDA) and the Interior (DOI), must establish and run a two-year pilot program to employ veterans in wildland firefighting activities. VA handles administration, while USDA and DOI identify suitable vacant positions (such as temporary, seasonal, or permanent roles in fire management, forestry, or related support like dispatch and equipment operations) and hire the veterans where possible.
• Employee Status: Veterans hired through the program are treated as full federal employees under civil service laws, meaning they receive standard protections and benefits like other government workers.
• Best Practices Guidelines: VA must develop guidelines for federal agencies on employing transitioning veterans, drawing from existing programs like the VA's Warrior Training Advancement Course (a training initiative for veterans) and focusing on cost-saving methods.
• Partnership Option: VA, USDA, DOI, and the Secretary of Defense may integrate this pilot into the SkillBridge program (a Department of Defense initiative that allows service members to gain civilian work experience in their final months of service).
• Reporting Requirements:
• An initial report due 60 days after enactment, outlining how the program will reduce veteran unemployment and suggesting any needed law changes.
• An implementation report due one year after the program starts.
• A final report due 30 days after the program ends, including data on applicant numbers, hires, transitions to full-time federal jobs, and overall effectiveness.
• Termination: The program ends two years after VA begins it.
• Definitions: Key terms include "wildland firefighting activities" (roles meeting national standards for fire qualifications, including Tribal firefighters) and "appropriate congressional committees" (specific House and Senate committees on agriculture, natural resources, and veterans' affairs).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces a new, targeted pilot program without directly amending prior laws. It builds on existing veteran employment efforts (e.g., SkillBridge and Warrior Training) by creating a specific pathway for veterans into federal wildland firefighting jobs, which were not previously linked in this coordinated way across VA, USDA, and DOI. It does not alter civil service rules but explicitly applies them to pilot participants.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: VA, USDA, and DOI could fill critical vacancies in wildfire response more quickly, improving federal wildfire management capacity amid growing fire risks. It may also lead to cost savings through better veteran training integration.
• On Citizens: Veterans, especially those transitioning from military service, gain targeted job opportunities, potentially lowering unemployment rates in this group. Broader citizens benefit from enhanced wildland fire protection in forests and rangelands.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic federal employment and wildfire activities within the U.S.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Veterans: Primary beneficiaries as applicants and employees in the pilot, particularly those with skills transferable to firefighting.
• Federal Agencies: VA (administration and guidelines), USDA and DOI (position identification and hiring), and potentially the Department of Defense (via SkillBridge partnership).
• Congressional Committees: House and Senate panels on veterans' affairs, agriculture, and natural resources, which receive reports and oversee the program.
• Tribal Firefighters: Included in eligible roles, potentially expanding opportunities for Tribal communities involved in federal wildland fire efforts.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Ensures hires receive civil service protections (e.g., job security and benefits under Title 5 of the U.S. Code), aligning with federal employment standards and avoiding temporary worker vulnerabilities. The two-year limit makes it a low-risk trial without permanent commitments.
• Constitutional: Supports Congress's authority over federal spending and veteran affairs (under Article I), promoting equal employment opportunities without raising equal protection concerns.
• Political: Bipartisan introduction (by Reps. Neguse and Fitzpatrick) highlights cross-party support for veteran reintegration and environmental priorities like wildfire control. Success could inspire similar targeted employment pilots, but failure (e.g., low participation) might prompt legislative tweaks based on required reports.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-06: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
• 2025-05-21: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Armed Services, 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.
• 2025-05-21: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Armed Services, 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.
• 2025-05-21: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Armed Services, 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.
• 2025-05-21: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Armed Services, 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.
• 2025-05-21: Introduced in House
• 2025-05-21: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Veteran Wildland Firefighter Employment Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-21 — PDF (6 pages)