Allows the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to hire qualified wildland firefighters and firefighting support staff directly, without following the usual federal hiring procedures.

• Adds section 9603 to title 5 of the U.S. Code, letting the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior appoint qualified candidates without regard to listed federal hiring rules
• Covers nine occupational series, including forestry technicians, aircraft operations, dispatching, and equipment specialists, with some support roles limited to positions eligible for firefighter retirement coverage
• Requires the two departments to adopt policies within one year to shorten federal wildland firefighter hiring, reduce duplicate steps, and ease transfers between agencies
• Requires annual reports to Congress by February 1 on projected hiring needs, vacancies by state, barriers, and implementation, and publishes them online

• Agriculture Committee (House)
• Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee
• Natural Resources Committee (House)
• Oversight and Government Reform Committee (House)

Government Operations and Politics