Direct Hire To Fight Fires

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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Direct Hire To Fight Fires 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Veterans are an appreciated and sought after population for positions within the Forest Service and in the positions contained in this Act. (2) Veterans deserve expedited hiring and employment. (3) In fiscal year 2020, the use of the Fire Direct Hire Authority ( DHA FS (4) In fiscal year 2021, the use of the Fire DHA was on average 40 days compared to non-use of Fire DHA at 94 days and overall FS hiring at 73 days. (5) In fiscal year 2020, the number of days from authorization to employee entry on duty averaged 55 days with the use of the Fire DHA compared to non-use of the Fire DHA at 103 days and overall FS hiring at 92 days. (6) In fiscal year 2021, the number of days from authorization to employee entry on duty averaged 57 days with the use of the Fire DHA compared to non-use of the Fire DHA at 105 days and overall FS hiring at 94 days. 3. Direct hire authority to appoint individuals to Federal firefighting and firefighting support positions in the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior (a) In general Chapter 96 9603. Direct hire authority to appoint individuals to Federal firefighting and firefighting support positions in Forest Service and Department of the Interior (a) In general The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Interior may appoint, without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 (other than sections 3303 and 3328 of such chapter), qualified candidates to any position described in subsection (b) in the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior, respectively. (b) Positions A position described in this subsection is any Federal wildland and structural firefighting position, or any position in support of such firefighting position, within any of the following occupational series (or any successor series): (1) Forestry Technician Series, GS–0462. (2) Aircraft Operation Series, GS–2181. (3) Miscellaneous Administration and Program Series, GS–0301. (4) General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series, GS–0401. (5) Aviation Management Specialist Series, GS–2101. (6) Engineering Equipment Operator, WG–5716. (7) Dispatching Series, GS–2151. (8) Equipment Specialist, GS–1670. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections for such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating 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. .

Summary: Direct Hire To Fight Fires This bill provides direct-hire authority to the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior for purposes of filling wildland and structural firefighting positions, including support positions, in the Forest Service and Interior agencies. Direct-hire authority is an expedited hiring authority that currently may be issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to fill positions in the competitive service for which there is a critical hiring need or severe shortage of candidates. The OPM may issue such authority to agencies upon written request or upon an independent assessment that there is a critical hiring need or severe shortage of candidates for specific positions.