Congress honors wildland firefighters with gold medal
S. 142 — Wildland Firefighters Congressional Gold Medal Act · Filed by John Barrasso (R-WY) · 32 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 16, 2025 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill authorizes Congress to strike and present a single gold medal honoring wildland firefighters collectively for their service, sacrifice, and role in protecting forests and communities. The medal will be displayed at the National Interagency Fire Center, and the U.S. Mint may also produce and sell bronze duplicates to recover costs.
Why we flagged it
This is a straightforward commemorative bill authorizing a single gold medal and duplicate bronze medals to honor wildland firefighters as a collective group. It follows the standard congressional gold medal framework and carries no regulatory, appropriations, or policy riders.
What the text implies
- The bill's placement in the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee (rather than a more typical committee like Veterans Affairs or Natural Resources) may reflect administrative routing but has no substantive impact on the bill's function.
- The authorization to sell bronze duplicates creates a minor revenue stream to the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund, offsetting the cost of the gold medal production—a standard practice that ensures no net taxpayer cost.
Who it affects
The bill honors a group of public servants (wildland firefighters) who face genuine occupational hazard and have suffered 98 deaths since 2019. The recognition is symbolic and carries minimal fiscal cost, funded through duplicate medal sales.