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 positions 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 firefighting and firefighting support positions in the Forest 

Service or the Department of the Interior, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Direct Hire To Fight 

5 Fires’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Veterans are an appreciated and sought 

2 after population for positions within the Forest 

3 Service and in the positions contained in this Act. 

4 (2) Veterans deserve expedited hiring and em5 ployment. 

6 (3) In fiscal year 2020, the use of the Fire Di7 rect Hire Authority (‘‘DHA’’) was on average 31 

8 days compared to non-use of the Fire DHA at 51 

9 days and overall Forest Service (‘‘FS’’) hiring at 65 

10 days. 

11 (4) In fiscal year 2021, the use of the Fire 

12 DHA was on average 40 days compared to non-use 

13 of Fire DHA at 94 days and overall FS hiring at 

14 73 days. 

15 (5) In fiscal year 2020, the number of days 

16 from authorization to employee entry on duty aver17 aged 55 days with the use of the Fire DHA com18 pared to non-use of the Fire DHA at 103 days and 

19 overall FS hiring at 92 days. 

20 (6) In fiscal year 2021, the number of days 

21 from authorization to employee entry on duty aver22 aged 57 days with the use of the Fire DHA com23 pared to non-use of the Fire DHA at 105 days and 

24 overall FS hiring at 94 days. 


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1 SEC. 3. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY TO APPOINT INDIVID2 UALS TO FEDERAL FIREFIGHTING AND FIRE3 FIGHTING SUPPORT POSITIONS IN THE FOR4 EST SERVICE OR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 

5 INTERIOR. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 96 of title 5, United 

7 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol8 lowing: 

9 ‘‘§ 9603. Direct hire authority to appoint individuals 

10 to Federal firefighting and firefighting 

11 support positions in Forest Service and 

12 Department of the Interior 

13 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture 

14 and the Secretary of Interior may appoint, without regard 

15 to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 (other than 

16 sections 3303 and 3328 of such chapter), qualified can17 didates to any position described in subsection (b) in the 

18 Forest Service or the Department of the Interior, respec19 tively. 

20 ‘‘(b) POSITIONS.—A position described in this sub21 section is any Federal wildland and structural firefighting 

22 position, or any position in support of such firefighting 

23 position, within any of the following occupational series 

24 (or any successor series): 

25 ‘‘(1) Forestry Technician Series, GS–0462. 

26 ‘‘(2) Aircraft Operation Series, GS–2181. 


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1 ‘‘(3) Miscellaneous Administration and Pro2 gram Series, GS–0301. 

3 ‘‘(4) General Natural Resources Management 

4 and Biological Sciences Series, GS–0401. 

5 ‘‘(5) Aviation Management Specialist Series, 

6 GS–2101. 

7 ‘‘(6) Engineering Equipment Operator, WG– 

8 5716. 

9 ‘‘(7) Dispatching Series, GS–2151. 

10 ‘‘(8) Equipment Specialist, GS–1670.’’. 

11 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

12 for such chapter is amended by adding after the item re13 lating to section 9602 the following: 

‘‘9603. Direct hire authority to appoint individuals to Federal firefighting and 

firefighting support positions in Forest Service and Department of the Interior.’’. 

Æ 


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