Rep. Carbajal Votes to Prevent Harmful Government Shutdown, Avert Pay Cut for Wildland Firefighters

Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) voted today on a clean extension of government funding that averts a costly government shutdown, rejects Project 2025 policy riders, and averts an imminent pay cut for federal wildland firefighters currently battling blazes across California.

"From the beginning of this Congress, House Democrats and I have made it clear that we are prepared to work across the aisle to find bipartisan common ground to responsibly fund our government and sustain programs that help Central Coast families. But since we finalized last year's budget, House Republican leadership has spent more time pursuing policies from Donald Trump's Project 2025, putting right-wing extremist priorities like voter suppression ahead of actually governing - all while endangering our national security, veteran's benefits, and essential services," said Rep. Carbajal.

"This lack of bipartisan cooperation has put Congress in a position to once again need to extend government funding to the end of this year while we continue working to finalize a budget for the coming fiscal year. As ever, I remain committed to putting governing ahead of partisan games, and I hope my colleagues will do the same."

"I'm glad that this bill averts the impending pay cliff for federal wildland firefighters. As my colleagues and I have advocated for throughout this Congress, I will continue to push for our permanent fix to be included in the final budget agreement later this year. Our wildland firefighters are working day and night to protect our communities from dangerous fires. The last thing we should do is allow a devastating pay cut in the middle of fire season."

The funding resolution passed today by the U.S. House of Representatives sustains current government funding levels through December 20, 2024. The measure now advances to the Senate, where it is expected to pass and reach the President's desk before the end of the Fiscal Year on Monday, September 30.

Congressman Carbajal pushed to avert the impending pay cut for federal wildland firefighters by advocating for passage of theWildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act to permanently increase the base pay, deployment pay, and benefits for federal wildland firefighters. He introduced this bill with his colleagues last year to make permanent the pay increases provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021.