Government funding legislation protects federal wildland firefighters’ pay from harmful cuts
Sinema passed needed pay increases for federal wildland firefighters in her bipartisan infrastructure law
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced the recent government funding legislation will use the blueprint from her bipartisan infrastructure law to protect Arizona federal wildland firefighters’ pay.
“I’m proud our government funding legislation protects the pay raise for Arizona’s firefighters that I negotiated into my bipartisan infrastructure law. I’ll continue fighting for Arizona’s firefighters who deserve fair pay for their brave work keeping Arizonans safe and secure,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The appropriations legislation protects the firefighter base salary increase that Sinema negotiated into her Sinema’s bipartisan infrastructure law. This raise provides fairer pay to Arizona firefighters as they work every day to protect Arizona families from dangerous fires.
Sinema’s bipartisan infrastructure law directed the federal government to create a new occupational series for wildland firefighters and set aside funding for pay increases – helping ensure sufficient wildland firefighter staffing.
Sinema is fighting for a permanent solution to fair wildland firefighter pay. Last year, Sinema introduced the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, which protects the pay raise Sinema secured for wildland firefighters in her bipartisan infrastructure law – making these salary increases permanent, instead of requiring annual legislation.