On the morning of February 13, 2025, President Tom Green and 1st Vice President Chris Wyman met with Representative Chris Pappas and Representative Goodlander’s office about S.237, which involves Fire Fighter Occupational Cancer and the Honoring our Fallen Heros Act.
On January 23, 2025, Senators Amy Klobuchar (MN) and Kevin Cramer (ND) reintroduced the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act (S.237). This bipartisan legislation aims to protect firefighters and their families by ensuring that firefighters who pass away or become disabled from certain cancers linked to their service are covered under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program.
Firefighters face heightened risks due to exposure to toxic chemicals, extreme conditions, and high stress on the job. Studies show that firefighters are significantly more likely to develop and succumb to cancer compared to the general population. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified firefighting as a Group 1 carcinogen. Despite these facts, firefighter cancer is not currently recognized under the PSOB program.
The PSOB program provides death and education benefits to survivors of public safety officers—including firefighters—who die in the line of duty. It also offers disability benefits to those who sustain qualifying injuries while serving.
The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee during the last Congress. The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) remains committed to advancing this critical bill through the full legislative process and seeing it enacted into law.
You can help support the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act by urging your Senators to co-sponsor the bill if they haven’t already. While a companion bill in the House has yet to be introduced, it is expected later this Congress.
Current cosponsors of the bill include: Senators Banks (IN), Barrasso (WY), Blackburn (TN), Blumenthal (CT), Coons (DE), Cornyn (TX), Cruz (TX), Duckworth (IL), Durbin (D-IL), Fetterman (PA), Fischer (NE), Graham (SC), Hirono (HI), Hoeven (ND), Justice (WV), Kelly (AZ), Markey (MA), Padilla (CA), Rounds (SD), Schiff (CA), Shaheen (NH), Sheehy (MT), Smith (MN), Warner (VA), Warren (MA), Welch (VT), Whitehouse (RI), and Wyden (OR).
UPDATE: In the time that our President and 1st Vice President have been talking with our state congressional leaders, HR 1269, which is the House companion bill to S.237 has been introduced in the House and Congressman Pappas has signed on as a co-sponsor. After their meeting with Congresswoman Goodlander’s team, Tom and Chris are confident she will sign on as a co-sponsor very soon as well.
During the afternoon of February 13, 2025, Chris and Tom were asked to return to Capitol Hill to speak with Senator Shaheen’s legislative team! Thank you, Senator Shaheen, for the opportunity to speak with your staff about this very important piece of legislation!
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