Blumenthal & Senators Introduce Legislation to Support First Responders with Service-Related Cancers
Cancer is the most common cause of firefighter deaths; Legislation provides federal benefits & care for firefighters with cancer & their families
[HARTFORD, CT] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined his colleagues, led by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), in the reintroduction of the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act. The bipartisan legislation, which passed unanimously (21-0) out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last Congress, would 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 ensure that firefighters and other first responders across the country are eligible to receive cancer-related benefits under the federal PSOB program.
People often think firefighting is dangerous because of the flames, heat, and smoke, which can burn or asphyxiate firefighters, but the leading cause of death among firefighters is cancer. The most common cause of occupational injury and death for firefighters is cancer, and the rate of cancer among firefighters is multiples higher than among the average population.
“Cancer is a killer of firefighters, and it’s caused by the toxic chemicals that firefighters expose themselves to when they put out fires or simply respond to emergencies. Firefighters are exposed to PFAs, formaldehyde, and all kinds of toxic substances, some of which are forever chemicals that continuously accumulate in their bodies and never break down. We need to support our firefighters not only against burns and asphyxiation, but also cancer,” said Blumenthal at a press conference in Hartford on Monday. “This legislation is a common sense measure – extend the disability and survivor benefits in the Public Safety Officers' Benefits program and make sure that we do right by our firefighters.”
This legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jim Banks (R-IN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), 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), John Hoeven (R-ND), 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), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program provides benefits to the survivors of firefighters, 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 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.
The legislation is endorsed by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), as well as the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA); 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.
Blumenthal has long led efforts to support firefighters and first responders. Blumenthal was an original cosponsor of the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2018, which was signed into law in 2018 and required the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop and maintain a voluntary registry of firefighters to track firefighters’ cancer rates to improve workplace safety.
Blumenthal also worked to pass the Protecting America’s First Responders Act, which was signed into law in 2021. This legislation improves the PSOB program by allowing benefit amounts to be calculated based on the date of the award and account for cost of living increases.
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