Lawmakers press Forest Service on staffing, hiring freezes and firefighter pay caps
September 12, 2025 | Natural Resources: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal
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Members of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands pressed U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz at a Sept. 10, 2025, hearing for detailed information about staffing levels after thousands of employees left under voluntary departure programs and other reductions, and about pay rules that affect wildland firefighter deployments.
Why it matters: Lawmakers said staff capacity — both firefighters and support personnel — affects the agency’s ability to plan, manage fuels-reduction projects and respond during wildfire season. Members from both parties urged Congress and the agency to ensure firefighters have the pay and logistical support needed to remain available.
Chief Tom Schultz acknowledged significant departures and said approximately 5,200 employees had left the agency since January; he also confirmed that about 1,400 red-carded employees took deferred resignations and that 350 of those had been on a fire in the last five years. "Of those 350 that have been on a fire in the last 5 years, 130 of them have come back to the agency to be on teams this year," Schultz said. He added that 90 were currently on teams at the time of testimony.
Several members asked Schultz to press for a waiver of the federal pay cap that limits annual pay for deployed firefighters; Schultz urged Congress to consider a pay-cap waiver to avoid operational disruptions and unpaid overage for deployed personnel.
Rep. Yadira Caraveo and Rep. Doug LaMalfa (members who questioned staffing) and others also demanded staffing lists for specific national forests and district offices. Chief Schultz said the agency would provide staffing and vacancy data in response to committee requests and that the agency was reviewing workforce structure as part of a broader reorganization and public comment process.
Members also raised implementation questions about a bipartisan pay fix passed earlier in 2025, including the incident response premium pay (IRPP) and whether Forest Service employees are being classified consistently for overtime compared with Interior Department counterparts. Schultz said he would review members’ concerns and follow up with details.
What the committee asked for: written staffing data for national forests and regions, clarification on IRPP and FLSA classification across agencies, and consideration of a statutory pay-cap waiver for wildfire deployments. The hearing record was held open for follow-up questions.
Why it matters: Lawmakers said staff capacity — both firefighters and support personnel — affects the agency’s ability to plan, manage fuels-reduction projects and respond during wildfire season. Members from both parties urged Congress and the agency to ensure firefighters have the pay and logistical support needed to remain available.
Chief Tom Schultz acknowledged significant departures and said approximately 5,200 employees had left the agency since January; he also confirmed that about 1,400 red-carded employees took deferred resignations and that 350 of those had been on a fire in the last five years. "Of those 350 that have been on a fire in the last 5 years, 130 of them have come back to the agency to be on teams this year," Schultz said. He added that 90 were currently on teams at the time of testimony.
Several members asked Schultz to press for a waiver of the federal pay cap that limits annual pay for deployed firefighters; Schultz urged Congress to consider a pay-cap waiver to avoid operational disruptions and unpaid overage for deployed personnel.
Rep. Yadira Caraveo and Rep. Doug LaMalfa (members who questioned staffing) and others also demanded staffing lists for specific national forests and district offices. Chief Schultz said the agency would provide staffing and vacancy data in response to committee requests and that the agency was reviewing workforce structure as part of a broader reorganization and public comment process.
Members also raised implementation questions about a bipartisan pay fix passed earlier in 2025, including the incident response premium pay (IRPP) and whether Forest Service employees are being classified consistently for overtime compared with Interior Department counterparts. Schultz said he would review members’ concerns and follow up with details.
What the committee asked for: written staffing data for national forests and regions, clarification on IRPP and FLSA classification across agencies, and consideration of a statutory pay-cap waiver for wildfire deployments. The hearing record was held open for follow-up questions.
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