,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #adb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,janu>y #af1 #bjbe,mr4 
,b>rasso 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,%eehy1 ,mr4  
,ris*1 ,ms4 ,smi?1 ,ms4 ,lummis1 ,mr4   
,w>nock1 ,mr4 ,b5net1 ,ms4 ,klobu*>1 &  
,mr4 ,crapo7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2   
:i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,bank+1 ,h\s+1 & ,urban   
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to aw>d a         
,congressional ,gold ,m$al to wildl&    
firefight]s 9 recognition ( _! /r5g?1   
resili5cy1 sacrifice1 & s]vice to       
protect ! =e/s1 grassl&s1 & communities 
( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,wildl& ,firefight]s ,congressional   
,gold ,m$al ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress 
f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,wildl& fires h     
increas$ 9 int5sity & sev]ity ov] !     
#cj-ye> p]iod prec$+ ! date ( enactm5t (
 ?is ,act1 caus+ cata/rophic de/ruction 
to homes1 infra/ructure1 & valuable     
,f$]al1 ,/ate1 & private l&s4 ,m ?an    
#a1jjj1jjj1jjj acres ( l& across !      

,unit$ ,/ates are at risk ( wildfire1   
includ+ approximately #aag1jjj1jjj acres
 ( ,f$]al l& t h be5 id5tifi$ z high or 
v high risk = wildfire pot5tial4  7#b7  
,! ,=e/ ,s]vice1 ! ,bureau ( ,l&        
,managem5t1 ! ,national ,p>k ,s]vice1 ! 
,unit$ ,/ates ,fi% & ,wildlife ,s]vice1 
& ! ,bureau ( ,indian ,affairs          
collectively employ m ?an #ah1gjj wildl&
 firefight]s to combat wildfires across 
millions ( acres ( public & private l&s 
ea* ye>1 :ile ?\s&s m work]s & volunte]s
 s]ve z ,/ate1 local1 & contract wildl& 
firefight]s4  7#c7 ,z ! wildl&-urban    
int]face exp&s1 wildfires increas+ly f9d
 _! way out ( ! backc\ntry & into !     
backy>ds ( communities across ! ,unit$  
,/ates4 ,wildl& firefight]s are evolv+  
_! skillsets1 tactics1 & /rategies to   
address ! gr[+ ?reat ( wildfire 9 ! #ba/
 c5tury4  7#d7 ,:ile ! protection ( life
 & prop]ty rema9s a top priority1 wildl&
 firefight]s also h an important role 9 
responsible =e/ managem5t & cons]vation4
 ,wildl& firefight]s p]=m prescrib$     

burns & o!r =e/ managem5t activities1   
includ+ timb] h>ve/s1 contribute to     
heal?y =e/s1 & r$uce cata/rophic        
wildfire risk4  7#e7 ,ea* wildl&        
firefight] is specializ$ & tra9$ to "w 9
 dynamic & extraord9>ily dang]\s        
environm5ts4 ,wildl& firefight]s r\t9ely
 "w long days :ile on a #b-week         
rotation1 (t5 sleep+ 9 inhospitable     
conditions4  7#f7 ,accord+ to ! ,=e/    
,s]vice1 firefight]s g5]ally "w #af-;h\r
 days :ile fight+ a fire1 & !y typically
 exce$ #b1ejj op]ational h\rs 9 a       
#f-mon? p]iod4  7#g7 ,wildl& firefight] 
crews are all-haz>ds frontl9e em]g5cy   
respond]s t use any means necess>y to   
protect life & prop]ty :ile respond+ to 
floods1 hurricanes1 p&emics1 & acts (   
t]rorism4  7#h7 ,eng9e & h& crews1 !    
prim>y firefight+ work=ce1 come 9 v>y+  
sizes & modules t c be tailor$ to fit ! 
specific ne$s & t]ra9 ob/acles t ea*    
fire pres5ts4  7#i7 ,int]ag5cy hot%ot   
crews are highly skill$ mobile h& crews 
) elite k ab\t fire suppression tactics4

  7#aj7 ,pilots & a]ial fire suppression
 crews take to ! skies ) air tank]s &   
helicopt]s to drop wat] & fire ret>dant1
 support+ decision-mak]s on ! gr\nd4    
7#aa7 ,a]ially deliv]$ firefight]s1     
includ+ helitack crews & smokejump]s1   
exit helicopt]s & jump f planes into    
remote & difficult-to-rea* areas1       
provid+ quick & t>get$ fire suppression 
& em]g5cy m$ical %ort-haul extraction4  
,^! fire p]sonnel provide ov]sight &    
direct action on initial & ext5d$ attack
 incid5ts4  7#ab7 ,wildl& firefight]s 9 
! ,unit$ ,/ates also answ] ! call to    
fight wildfires int]nationally4 ,dur+ ! 
record-sett+ fires 9 ,au/ralia 9 #bjbj1 
! ,unit$ ,/ates s5t #cfb firefight]s to 
help4 ,dur+ ,canada's hi/oric #bjbc fire
 season1 m ?an #b1jjj ,f$]al wildl&     
firefight]s answ]$ ! call4  7#ac7 ,z ( !
 date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,unit$   
,/ates ma9ta9s mutual assi/ance &       
coop]ation agreem5ts = wildl& firefight+
 ef=ts ) ,canada1 ,mexico1 ,au/ralia1   
,new ,zeal&1 & ,portugal4  7#ad7 ,!     

increases 9 ! sev]ity ( wildfires & 9   
annual fire season active mon?s h also  
increas$ ! dem& = wildl& firefight]s &  
associat$ employees4 ,recruitm5t &      
ret5tion ( wildl& firefight]s has be5 a 
national issue = _m ye>s4  7#ae7 ,wildl&
 firefight]s put _! lives on ! l9e to   
keep ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates safe1 & "s   
pay ! ultimate sacrifice to d s4 ,betwe5
 ,janu>y #a1 #bjai1 & ,janu>y #a1 #bjbe1
 #ih wildl& firefight]s h lo/ _! lives  
fight+ fires4 ,acute & second>y effects 
f wildfire1 su* z wildfire smoke        
exposure1 are directly l9k$ to t5s (    
?\s&s ( firefight] & civilian dea?s ea* 
ye>4  7#af7 ,june #cj to ,july #f ( ea* 
ye> is recogniz$ z a ,week (            
,remembrance to honor ! fall5 wildl&    
firefight]s :o sacrific$ _! lives to    
protect ! wildl&s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4    
7#ag7 ,national ,wildl& ,firefight] ,day
 is held annually on ,july #b to        
recognize all :o are devot$ to wildl&   
firefight+4  7#ah7 ,! exempl>y ef=ts (  
wildl& firefight]s are des]v+ (         

recognition1 & x is appropriate & prop] 
to honor ^? :o h previ\sly s]v$1 z well 
z curr5t & future firefight]s4 ,wildl&  
firefight]s %[case pr9ciples ( duty1    
respect1 & integrity 9 e aspect (       
s]vice4 ,ea* firefight] exhibits /r5g?1 
resili5cy1 & grit to protect ! =e/s1    
grassl&s1 & communities ( ! ,unit$      
,/ates4 ,wildl& firefight]s d n %y away 
f dang]\s situations1 b in/ead risk life
 & limb to help o!rs4 ,! out/&+         
accompli%m5ts ( ^! brave individuals    
cont9ue an unp>allel$ legacy ( public   
s]vice4  #c4 ,congressional ,gold ,m$al 
7a7 ,pres5tation ,au?oriz$ ,! ,speak] ( 
! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,presid5t 
pro tempore ( ! ,s5ate %all make        
appropriate arrangem5ts = ! pres5tation1
 on behalf ( ,congress1 ( a s+le gold   
m$al ( appropriate design 9 honor (     
wildl& firefight]s1 collectively1 9     
recognition ( _! /r5g?1 resili5cy1      
sacrifice1 & s]vice to protect ! =e/s1  
grassl&s1 & communities ( ! ,unit$      
,/ates4  7b7 ,design ,& ,/rik+ ,=       

purposes ( ! pres5tation describ$ 9     
subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y ( !         
,treasury 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is ,act z !     
,secret>y7 %all /rike a gold m$al )     
suitable emblems1 devices1 &            
inscriptions1 to be det]m9$ by !        
,secret>y1 9 consultation ) ! ,national 
,int]ag5cy ,fire ,c5t]4  7c7            
,disposition ( ,m$al  7#a7 ,9 ,g5]al    
,foll[+ ! pres5tation ( ! gold m$al "u  
subsection 7a71 ! gold m$al %all be giv5
 to ! ,national ,int]ag5cy ,fire ,c5t]1 
:]e ! gold m$al %all be display$1 z     
appropriate1 & made available = rese>*4 
7#b7 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se (   
,congress t ! ,national ,int]ag5cy ,fire
 ,c5t] %\ld ensure t ! display &        
availability ( ! m$al describ$ 9        
p>agraph 7#a7 be at appropriate         
locations1 p>ticul>ly locations         
associat$ ) wildl& firefight]s4  #d4    
,duplicate m$als ,! ,secret>y may /rike 
& sell duplicates 9 bronze ( ! gold m$al
 /ruck "u section #c1 at a price        
suffici5t to cov] ! co/s !re(1 includ+  

labor1 mat]ials1 dies1 use ( ma*9]y1 &  
ov]head exp5ses4  #e4 ,/atus ( m$als    
7a7 ,national ,m$als ,! m$als /ruck "u  
?is ,act are national m$als = purposes (
 *apt] #ea ( title #ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates   
,code4  7b7 ,numismatic ,items ,=       
purposes ( sections #eacd & #eacf (     
title #ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 all     
m$als /ruck "u ?is ,act %all be consid]$
 to be numismatic items4  #f4 ,au?ority 
to use fund am\nts2 proce$s ( sale  7a7 
,au?ority ,to ,use ,fund ,am\nts ,!re is
 au?oriz$ to be *>g$ aga9/ ! ,unit$     
,/ates ,m9t ,public ,ent]prise ,fund su*
 am\nts z may be necess>y to pay = !    
co/s ( ! m$als /ruck "u ?is ,act4  7b7  
,proce$s ( ,sales ,am\nts receiv$ f !   
sale ( duplicate bronze m$als au?oriz$  
"u section #d %all be deposit$ into !   
,unit$ ,/ates ,m9t ,public ,ent]prise   
,fund4