WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Bernie Moreno (R-OH) introduced the Federal Firefighters Families First Act to boost pay and benefits and improve working conditions for federal firefighters.
“Federal firefighters protect our communities from wildfires and keep our veterans and service members safe,” said Senator Gallego. “But right now, these brave men and women are forced to work grueling hours at pay rates far below what other firefighters make. It’s unacceptable, and I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to fix it.”
“America’s firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect and save communities across the country,” said Senator Moreno. “This legislation makes sure they and their families are fairly compensated for the incredible work they do and sacrifices they make.”
READ MORE: Bipartisan senators seek workplace, benefits improvements for federal firefighters
Due to outdated scheduling practices, federal firefighters typically work 72 hours per week – staggered at a grueling rate of 24 hours on-duty and 24 hours off-duty. This schedule harms firefighters’ work-life balance, robs them of time with family, and reduces their effective hourly wages. The Federal Firefighters Families First Act would bring much-needed relief to federal firefighters by reducing their workweek to 60 hours while holding their current overall pay steady and ensuring that their pensions accurately reflect their scheduled overtime.
Specifically, the bill would:
- Establish a 60-hour regular workweek for firefighters protecting federal installations while holding their current overall pay steady.
- Adjust the FERS calculation for firefighters to recognize the full wages paid to a firefighter for their hours of scheduled overtime, rather than only valuing these hours at their basic rate of pay.
A one-page summary of the legislation can be found HERE.
A section-by-section description of the legislation can be found HERE.
Full text of the legislation can be found HERE.
Support for the Federal Firefighters Families First Act:
“Federal fire fighters are being pushed to the brink – working 72-hour weeks that risk their health, safety, and well-being. The IAFF proudly supports the Federal Fire Fighters Families First Act, and thanks Senators Ruben Gallego and Bernie Moreno for putting these brave men and women – and their families – first. It caps excessive workweeks, fixes broken retirement rules, and honors the hours our members serve. Without action, this system will continue to fail those who protect our military and our national security. The IAFF urges Congress to act now,” said Edward A. Kelly, General President, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).
“Federal fire fighters are critical to maintaining our military strength and protecting federal worksites, both at home and abroad,” said National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) National President Randy Erwin. “NFFE is proud to endorse the Federal Fire Fighters Families First Act, which will ensure these first responders are fairly compensated and provided the retirement benefits they deserve for serving our country. This legislation will help the federal government to employ and retain the very best personnel for these important positions. Thank you to Senators Gallego and Moreno for their leadership on this issue.”
“Federal firefighters in Arizona risk their lives every day while working exhausting 72-hour schedules, but they’re getting paid significantly less than their local counterparts. Their unsustainable schedule puts their health and safety at risk and makes it harder to recruit and retain the highly trained firefighters we need. This bill would finally bring federal firefighter pay in line with local departments, cap the number of hours they work per week, and significantly improve our federal firefighters’ quality of life. I fully support this bill and thank Senators Gallego and Moreno for stepping up to fight for Arizona’s fire service,” said Dan Freiberg, President of the Professional Firefighters of Arizona and President of IAFF Local 4005.
The legislation is also endorsed by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).
7/24/25