Tim’s Act

House Bill

H.R. 743

119th Congress

Tim’s Act

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 28, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Joe Neguse

D - CO

Cosponsors

13

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Summary

This bill significantly increases pay for federal wildland firefighters, establishes premium pay for prolonged deployments, creates rest and recuperation leave, provides housing allowances and tuition assistance, and establishes support programs for injured firefighters and their families.

Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill significantly increases pay for federal wildland firefighters, establishes premium pay for prolonged deployments, creates rest and recuperation leave, provides housing allowances and tuition assistance, and establishes support programs for injured firefighters and their families.

Last updated: 1/5/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act or Tim's ActThis bill increases compensation and establishes additional benefits and programs for federal wildland firefighters. (These individuals are employed by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, or tribal governments.) The bill increases the minimum rate of basic pay for wildland firefighters at General Schedule (GS) levels 1 through 15 by percentages specified in the bill, with smaller increases for higher GS levels. The bill also requires comparable increases to the hourly rates paid to prevailing rate employees who are wildland firefighters. It also establishes premium pay for wildland firefighters who respond to certain prolonged fire incidents and are deployed outside of their normal duty stations or to an area adjacent to the incident. These changes take effect after other temporary pay increases for wildland firefighters expire.The bill also (1) establishes paid rest and recuperation leave; (2) allows certain prior service to be credited for retirement purposes; and (3) provides housing allowances, tuition assistance, and other benefits for wildland firefighters.Further, the bill directs the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs within the Department of Labor to ensure that psychological stress-related injuries and illnesses correlated to fire response are compensated and to expedite related claims.The bill also establishes programs to (1) assist the next-of-kin of wildland firefighters and fire support personnel who are critically injured or killed while in the line of duty, and (2) support the mental and physical health of wildland firefighters.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Increases wildland firefighter base pay
Creates premium pay for prolonged incidents
Establishes paid rest and recuperation leave
Provides housing and tuition benefits
Compensates stress-related injuries and illness

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

Federal wildland firefighters who battle increasingly severe fire seasons would receive substantially higher pay and benefits recognizing the dangerous, demanding nature of their work. Named for Tim Hart, a firefighter who died on the job.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Related Subjects

Cancer

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Congressional oversight

Disability assistance

Employee benefits and pensions

Employee leave

Environmental health

Fires

First responders and emergency personnel

Forests, forestry, trees

+7 more

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

743, 119th Congress (2025). "Tim’s Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-743