WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and 26 of their Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to expand access to federal support for the families of firefighters and other first responders who pass away or become permanently disabled from service-related cancers. Currently, firefighters are only eligible for support under the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program for physical injuries sustained in the line-of-duty, or for deaths from duty-related heart attacks, strokes, mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and 9/11 related illnesses.

The Honoring our Fallen Heroes Act would expand access to federal support for the families of firefighters and first responders who pass away from cancer caused by carcinogenic exposure during their service. The bill would also extend disability benefits in cases where these first responders become permanently and totally disabled due to cancer.

“Our first responders put their lives on the line day in and day out to keep our communities safe, and in the face of this work, are often exposed to harmful carcinogens that have led to long-term and devastating diagnoses,” Sen. Warner said. “It is wholly unacceptable that firefighters who have gotten sick due to the job do not receive the same benefits as all those who die in the line of duty. I’m proud to introduce this legislation to ensure that these heroes receive the benefits they deserve.”

The PSOB program provides benefits to the survivors of fire fighters, law enforcement officers, and other first responders who are killed as the result of injuries sustained in the line of duty. The program also provides disability benefits where first responders become permanently or totally disabled. The Public Safety Officers' Educational Assistance (PSOEA) program, a component of the PSOB program, provides higher-education assistance to the children and spouses of public safety officers killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. The PSOB and PSOEA programs are administered by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act would ensure that firefighters and other first responders across the country are eligible to receive similar benefits under the federal PSOB program.

Joining Sens. Warner, Klobuchar, and Cramer in introducing this legislation are Sens. Jim Banks (R-IN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jim Justice (R-WV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). 

The legislation is endorsed by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), as well as the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI); Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA); Fraternal Order of Police (FOP); International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC); Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA); Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (Metro Chiefs); National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO); National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF); National Fire Protection Association (NFPA); National Narcotics Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC); National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC); and Sergeants Benevolent Association of the NYPD.

Text of the legislation is available here.

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