Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act

Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act

This bill provides continuing FY2026 appropriations to pay federal firefighters if a government shutdown is in effect. It also prohibits the firefighters from being subject to a reduction in force (RIF) during a government shutdown. 

Specifically, the bill provides continuing FY2026 appropriations to provide pay and allowances to federal firefighters during any period in which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2026 are not in effect (i.e., a government shutdown). The bill provides the appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) January 1, 2027.

The bill also prohibits federal firefighters from being removed from the civil service due to a RIF during a government shutdown. 

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5619 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5619

To ensure continuity of pay and allowances for Federal firefighters and 
protect Federal firefighters from reductions in force in the event of a 
            lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 30, 2025

  Ms. Bynum (for herself, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Whitesides, Ms. Ansari, Ms. 
   Bonamici, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Deluzio, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. 
 Elfreth, Mr. Fields, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Hoyle of 
 Oregon, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Ms. McClellan, Mr. Peters, Ms. Ross, Ms. 
  Salinas, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. 
 Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Thompson of California, and Ms. Schrier) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
   Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and 
 Government Reform, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To ensure continuity of pay and allowances for Federal firefighters and 
protect Federal firefighters from reductions in force in the event of a 
            lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Firefighter Paycheck 
Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR PAY AND ALLOWANCES FOR 
              FIREFIGHTERS.

    (a) In General.--There are hereby appropriated for fiscal year 
2026, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for 
any period during which interim or full-year appropriations for fiscal 
year 2026 are not in effect, such sums as are necessary to provide pay 
and allowances to Federal firefighters.
    (b) Termination.--Appropriations and funds made available and 
authority granted pursuant to this section shall be available until the 
earlier of--
            (1) the date of the enactment of an appropriation 
        (including a continuing appropriation) for any purpose for 
        which amounts are made available under subsection (a);
            (2) the date of the enactment of the applicable regular or 
        continuing appropriations resolution or other Act without any 
        appropriation for such purpose; or
            (3) January 1, 2027.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON REDUCTIONS IN FORCE OF FIREFIGHTERS DURING 
              GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during any period in 
which there is a lapse in discretionary appropriations, no Federal 
firefighter may be removed from the civil service due to a reduction in 
force.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Civil service, executive agency; military department.--
        The terms ``civil service'', ``Executive agency'', and 
        ``military department'' have the meanings given such term in 
        sections 2101, 105, and 102, respectively, of title 5, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Federal firefighter.--The term ``Federal firefighter'' 
        means an employee of an Executive agency or military 
        department, the duties of whose position are primarily to 
        perform work directly connected with the control and 
        extinguishment of fires.
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