In a letter to Speaker Kevin McCarthy on August 10th, the Biden Administration requested emergency supplemental funding to safeguard the pay of federal wildland firefighters and to fund disaster relief efforts. Underscoring the urgency of the situation, the Administration noted that over 20,000 federal firefighters face a significant wage reduction, to as low as $15 an hour if Congress does not act before October. To address the workforce and pay issues, the proposed funding increase includes $45 million for the United States Department of Agriculture and $15 million for the Department of the Interior. These funds aim to reform the pay structure for wildland firefighters through the first quarter of FY 2024. In addition, a request of $12 billion has been made to avert a projected deficit in the Disaster Relief Fund. This allocation would empower the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to bolster recovery operations in disaster-affected communities and enhance preparedness for future extreme weather incidents.
Full text of the supplemental request is available here.