Senate panel advances federal firefighter benefits legislation

U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are commending the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) for advancing legislation aiding the federal firefighter benefits platform.

Carper and Collins, co-chairs of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, co-sponsored the Federal Firefighter Fairness Act of 2021, which ensures federal firefighters receive financial support for illnesses and diseases associated with the performance of their duties as a firefighter.

“Federal firefighters put themselves in harm’s way to save lives and protect our nation’s public lands,” Carper said. “In this dangerous line of work, these heroic men and women are at higher risk of developing certain diseases—like respiratory illnesses and a variety of cancers. We owe it to them to ensure they get the benefits and support they deserve for putting their own personal safety at risk.”

Carper said he is proud of the HSGAC action and encouraged the full Senate to follow suit to garner swift enactment.

“Every day across the country, firefighters put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe,” Collins said. “Federal firefighters protect some of our nation’s most critical assets and infrastructure, and these brave men and women should have the same occupational safeguards and benefits as most of their colleagues at the local level. I am pleased that Congress has taken another step toward passing our bipartisan bill, which would allow federal firefighters to receive the benefits they deserve when they fall ill as a result of their service to our nation.”

The measure would amend the Federal Employee Compensation Act to create a presumption that a disability or death of a federal firefighter caused by certain diseases is the result of the performance of their duties.