Bill > S142

This bill aims to award a Congressional Gold Medal to wildland firefighters in recognition of their critical service protecting forests, grasslands, and communities across the United States. The bill provides extensive context about wildland firefighting, highlighting the increasing severity of wildfires, with over 1 billion acres at risk and approximately 18,700 federal wildland firefighters combating fires annually. It recognizes the diverse roles of firefighters, including ground crews, aerial suppression teams, and interagency hotshot crews, who work in extremely challenging conditions, often logging 16-hour days and working in dangerous environments. The bill acknowledges the firefighters' international contributions, such as assisting in Australia's 2020 fires and Canada's 2023 fire season, and notes the significant risks they face, with 98 firefighters losing their lives between 2019 and 2025. The Congressional Gold Medal will be designed by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the National Interagency Fire Center and will be displayed at the Center for research and remembrance. After the presentation ceremony, the medal will serve as a lasting tribute to the strength, resiliency, and sacrifice of wildland firefighters who continuously protect lives and natural resources.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/142/all-info