Direct Hire To Fight Fires

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1747 To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide direct hire authority to appoint individuals to Federal firefighting and firefighting support posi- tions in the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 10, 2021 Mr. ISSA (for himself and Mr. LAMALFA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform A BILL To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide direct hire authority to appoint individuals to Federal fire- fighting and firefighting support positions in the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Direct Hire To Fight 4 Fires’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 Congress finds the following: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:35 May 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1747.IH H1747 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1747 IH (1) Veterans are an appreciated and sought 1 after population for positions within the Forest 2 Service and in the positions contained in this Act. 3 (2) Veterans deserve expedited hiring and em- 4 ployment. 5 (3) In fiscal year 2020, the use of the Fire Di- 6 rect Hire Authority (‘‘DHA’’) was on average 31 7 days compared to non-use of the Fire DHA at 51 8 days and overall Forest Service (‘‘FS’’) hiring at 65 9 days. 10 (4) In fiscal year 2021, the use of the Fire 11 DHA was on average 40 days compared to non-use 12 of Fire DHA at 94 days and overall FS hiring at 13 73 days. 14 (5) In fiscal year 2020, the number of days 15 from authorization to employee entry on duty aver- 16 aged 55 days with the use of the Fire DHA com- 17 pared to non-use of the Fire DHA at 103 days and 18 overall FS hiring at 92 days. 19 (6) In fiscal year 2021, the number of days 20 from authorization to employee entry on duty aver- 21 aged 57 days with the use of the Fire DHA com- 22 pared to non-use of the Fire DHA at 105 days and 23 overall FS hiring at 94 days. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:35 May 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1747.IH H1747 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1747 IH SEC. 3. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY TO APPOINT INDIVID- 1 UALS TO FEDERAL FIREFIGHTING AND FIRE- 2 FIGHTING SUPPORT POSITIONS IN THE FOR- 3 EST SERVICE OR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 4 INTERIOR. 5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 96 of title 5, United 6 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol- 7 lowing: 8 ‘‘§ 9603. Direct hire authority to appoint individuals 9 to Federal firefighting and firefighting 10 support positions in Forest Service and 11 Department of the Interior 12 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture 13 and the Secretary of Interior may appoint, without regard 14 to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 (other than 15 sections 3303 and 3328 of such chapter), qualified can- 16 didates to any position described in subsection (b) in the 17 Forest Service or the Department of the Interior, respec- 18 tively. 19 ‘‘(b) POSITIONS.—A position described in this sub- 20 section is any Federal wildland and structural firefighting 21 position, or any position in support of such firefighting 22 position, within any of the following occupational series 23 (or any successor series): 24 ‘‘(1) Forestry Technician Series, GS–0462. 25 ‘‘(2) Aircraft Operation Series, GS–2181. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:35 May 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1747.IH H1747 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1747 IH ‘‘(3) Miscellaneous Administration and Pro- 1 gram Series, GS–0301. 2 ‘‘(4) General Natural Resources Management 3 and Biological Sciences Series, GS–0401. 4 ‘‘(5) Aviation Management Specialist Series, 5 GS–2101. 6 ‘‘(6) Engineering Equipment Operator, WG– 7 5716. 8 ‘‘(7) Dispatching Series, GS–2151. 9 ‘‘(8) Equipment Specialist, GS–1670.’’. 10 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 11 for such chapter is amended by adding after the item re- 12 lating to section 9602 the following: 13 ‘‘9603. Direct hire authority to appoint individuals to Federal firefighting and firefighting support positions in Forest Service and Depart- ment of the Interior.’’. Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:35 May 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1747.IH H1747 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS