On Wednesday, December 17, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA; S. 1071). Included in the bill was the text of the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, a bill that extends the federal Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program to first responders who die or are disabled by certain occupational cancers caused by job-related exposures.
Originally introduced in the House by Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) and Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and in the Senate by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act was included in the version of the NDAA originally passed by the Senate in October. The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act was included in the final version of the NDAA passed by both the House and Senate and is now heading to President Trump’s desk, where he is expected to sign the bill into law.
“The IAFC is grateful to see the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act included in the NDAA and on its way to being signed into law,” said Fire Chief Trisha L. Wolford, the President and Board Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. “This long-overdue reform ensures that the families of fire, law enforcement, and EMS personnel who die or become disabled from occupational cancer receive the federal benefits they deserve. By including occupational cancers in the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program, Congress is honoring the sacrifices made by our fallen heroes and standing firmly with the families they leave behind. We commend the bipartisan champions, including Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon and Carlos A. Gimenez, the bill’s House sponsors, and Senators Amy Klobuchar and Kevin Cramer, the bill’s Senate sponsors, who advanced this critical measure and thank lawmakers in both chambers for their commitment to our nation’s fire and EMS personnel.”
The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act expands PSOB benefits to firefighters who die from certain occupational cancers. To be eligible for benefits, the firefighter must have died or become disabled from a listed occupational exposure-related cancer if they are exposed to the carcinogen in the performance of their duties and must be diagnosed with the cancer at least 5 years after beginning public service and no later than 15 years from their last day of public service. The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act will allow for claims from deaths or disabilities incurred on or after January 1, 2020. Cancers that qualify for coverage include:
- bladder cancer
- brain cancer
- breast cancer
- cervical cancer
- colon cancer
- colorectal cancer
- esophageal cancer
- kidney cancer
- leukemia
- lung cancer
- malignant melanoma
- mesothelioma
- multiple myeloma
- non-Hodgkins lymphoma
- ovarian cancer
- prostate cancer
- skin cancer
- stomach cancer
- testicular cancer
- thyroid cancer
- any WTC-related cancers.
At least every three years, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance must review the list of cancers and, using the current science on first responder occupational cancers, update the list of eligible cancers.
The IAFC applauds the House and Senate for showing their commitment to fallen first responders by including the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act in the NDAA. Families of fallen or disabled fire and EMS personnel are encouraged to submit claims with the PSOB office to get their claims reviewed and benefits initiated as soon as possible.