Thousands of federal firefighters' face pay cut

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - Federal firefighters could see a loss in pay, unless Congress acts soon, as the Government Accountability Office reports record breaking wildfires and total acres burned in the U.S. have doubled over the past 20 years.

“Wildland firefighters are slated to receive upwards of a 40% pay cut,” said Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.).

Neguse’s district has seen several wildfires, and he’s fought for pay increases for federal firefighters. The Biden administration raised their pay from $13 to $15 an hour. The Infrastructure Bill gave them either a $20,000 or 50% salary increase, whichever is lower. Those are set to expire, unless Congress extends them.

“I want to make that permanent,” President Joe Biden said at the White House earlier this week.

A funding bill passed in the House included $330 million to increase firefighter pay. Democrats, including Neguse voted against it because of deep spending cuts.

“That appropriations bill that was referenced included a litany of cuts that would deeply damage the forest service, the BLM, land management agencies that Coloradans and those living in the Rocky Mountain West rely upon,” Neguse said.

Now, with spending bills not likely to pass Congress, lawmakers are working on a temporary spending package. A vote on a temporary bill on Wednesday failed.

House Speaker Mike Johnson combined the funding bill with a sweetener for Republicans, the SAVE Act, a bill that would require documentary proof of citizenship for a person to register to vote.

Another temporary bill, or continuing resolution, likely won’t have broad Republican support.

“I’m not going to vote for a CR when you pull out the only thing that was redeeming,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas).

Johnson will likely have to negotiate with Democrats, and Neguse, who said he wants funding for permanent firefighter raises.

“That, for me, is at the top of the list,” Neguse said.

The deadline to avoid a government shutdown is Sept. 30.