An effort to net federal firefighters financial support for illnesses and diseases acquired from their duties – the Federal Firefighter Fairness Act – was advanced by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) this week.
“Every day across the country, firefighters put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe,” U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who introduced the bill alongside U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), 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.”
If enacted, the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act would modify the Federal Employee Compensation Act to establish a presumption that any disability or death of a federal firefighter, as a result of certain diseases, stems from the performance of their duties. Conditions such as bladder cancer, brain cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and more would all fall under that revised rule.
“Federal firefighters put themselves in harm’s way to save lives and protect our nation’s public lands,” Carper, a co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus alongside Collins, 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.”
The bill was introduced last year with co-sponsors U.S. Sens. Angus King (I-ME), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). A companion bill advanced through the House of Representatives this May. The legislation has the support of the International Association of Fire Fighters, the American Federation of Government Employees, and the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association and will now receive a vote from the full chamber.