Press Releases

This week, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced the Federal Firefighters Families First Act, legislation to ensure federal firefighters are eligible for the same full and fair retirement benefits as their state and local counterparts.

“As we have witnessed most recently in Los Angeles, these courageous men and women work grueling hours in the most difficult of circumstances,” said Connolly. “It is our absolute responsibility to provide them with a retirement worthy of the sacrifices they have made in service to the United States. Our legislation fulfills that responsibility, and ensures that our retired federal firefighters are compensated fairly and fully.”

"Every day, firefighters across the nation make extraordinary sacrifices to protect our families, homes, and communities. As we are witnessing in Los Angeles right now, these heroes willingly run into danger, endure exhausting hours of mandatory overtime, and spend countless days away from their loved ones, all to keep us safe,” said Fitzpatrick, Co-Chair of the House Fire Caucus. “Our Federal Firefighters Families First Act will ensure overtime hours are counted toward retirement, providing the security and respect they have earned. This is not just about fairness—it’s about standing with the heroes who stand for us in our most critical moments, and ensuring their sacrifices are honored, not just in words, but in action."

“Federal fire fighters work grueling 72-hour weeks while making a third less than their state and local counterparts. This not only impacts their wallets; it affects their health, well-being, and safety on the job. The bipartisan Federal Firefighters Family First Act will help level the playing field, strengthening federal fire fighters’ retirement by counting overtime hours toward their earnings. I want to thank Reps. Connolly and Fitzpatrick for their leadership on this critical issue and look forward to working with them to get this bill to the President’s desk,” said Edward A. Kelly, General President, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).

“AFGE applauds Representative Connolly and Representative Fitzpatrick for reintroducing the Federal Firefighters Families First Act to ensure federal firefighters are eligible for the same full and fair retirement benefits as their state and local counterparts,” said Everett B. Kelley, National President, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). “AFGE represents federal firefighters who risk their lives to protect the American public including by serving at VA hospitals, military installations and responding to natural disasters through FEMA. This bill will allow for mandatory overtime to be included in the calculation of federal firefighters’ retirement benefits thereby allowing for a fairer and more just retirement calculation for our nation’s federal firefighters.”

Every day, federal firefighters put their lives at risk to protect our nation’s most critical assets – including the families, homes, and infrastructure on military installations across the country. Yet under current law, these brave first responders are denied the robust retirement package they deserve. Unlike their counterparts in state and local government, federal firefighters are not credited with the additional income from mandatory overtime for the purposes of calculating their retirement benefits.

The Federal Firefighters Families First Act would correct this injustice. By taking into account the number of overtime hours worked by federal firefighters each year, this bill would allow for a more accurate and equitable retirement calculation for our nation’s federal firefighters.

In addition to Connolly and Fitzpatrick, the Federal Firefighters Families First Act is cosponsored by the following Members of Congress: Robert Garcia, Suzanne Bonamici, Julia Brownley, Andre Carson, Sean Casten, Steve Cohen, Jim Costa, Danny Davis, Suzan DelBene, Chris Deluzio, Steny Hoyer, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Jim McGovern, Frank Mrvan, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Linda Sanchez, Mary Gay Scanlon, Brad Sherman, Mark Takano, Shri Thanedar, Dina Titus, Donald Norcross, Salud Carbajal, Stephen Lynch, Josh Harder, Dwight Evans, Maxwell Frost, Jamie Raskin, and John Garamendi.

The Federal Firefighters Families First Act is supported by the following organizations: American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Federation for Federal Employees (NFFE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).

Text of the legislation is available here.