Rep. Courtney Votes to Support Federal Firefighters at SUBASE New London and Around the Country

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) voted to support firefighters at SUBASE New London and other federal firefighters around the country as the House passed the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act (H.R. 2499). Federal firefighters operate at SUBASE New London and other U.S. military bases and installations, as well as other locations, and today they face challenges in qualifying for workers' compensation benefits for work-related illnesses that other firefighters do not. While workers' compensation laws in 48 states provide local firefighters with a presumption that certain diseases are work-related, no such law covers the approximately 15,000 federal firefighters employed by the federal government. The Federal Firefighters Fairness Act would change that.

The Federal Firefighters Fairness Act would ensure that the federal government stands behind federal firefighters who risk their lives to protect Americans. Rep. Courtney is a co-sponsor of the bill, which passed the House today by a margin of 288-131.

"Federal firefighters risk their lives to protect our communities, and while doing so they can be exposed to toxins that can cause serious illness," said Rep. Courtney. "Right now, they don't have the same guarantee of health benefits that other firefighters do if, God forbid, they contract cancers or other illnesses as a result of their work—and the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act would finally change that. Federal firefighters operate here in eastern Connecticut at SUBASE New London, and at other bases around the country, and I was proud to help pass this bipartisan bill today on their behalf. Our bill would create an initial list of diseases that would automatically be presumed ‘work-related' for federal firefighters, clearing the way for them to receive the care they deserve. The House got this done on a bipartisan basis, and the Senate shouldn't waste time in following suit and sending this bill to the President's desk."

Background on the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act

The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) provides wage-loss compensation, medical treatment, return-to-work assistance, and vocational rehabilitation to civilian federal employees who are injured, made ill, or killed by work-related hazards. FECA is well designed to address traumatic injuries—but not to provide benefits for occupational disease caused by exposure to toxic substances. Federal firefighters who have contracted cancers face difficulty proving illnesses are work-related because of the lack of data to prove the disease is linked to specific incidents or exposures.

Workers' compensation laws in 48 states, by contrast, provide firefighters with a presumption that certain diseases are work-related. However, no such law covers the approximately 15,000 firefighters employed by the federal government. The Federal Firefighters Fairness Act amends FECA to ensure that the federal government stands behind federal firefighters who risk their lives to protect all Americans. The bill:

• Establishes an initial science-based list of diseases for which an automatic presumption of work-related illness would apply, provided the firefighter is employed in fire protection activities for five years. The initial list includes:
  • Bladder cancer
  • Brain cancer
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Leukemias
  • Lung cancer
  • Mesothelioma
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Prostate cancer
  • Skin cancer (melanoma)
  • Testicular cancer
  • Thyroid cancer
  • Sudden cardiac event or stroke not later than 24 hours after working in fire protection activities
    
• Requires the Secretary of Labor to evaluate the latest science on breast cancer risks for firefighters and determine within 3 years of passage of the Act whether breast cancer should be added to the list.
• Enables any person to propose additions to the initial disease list. The Secretary of Labor would be directed to review and authorized to add additional diseases to the list if the science demonstrates that there is a significant risk to employees in fire protection activities of developing the disease.
• Directs the Secretary to inform any federal firefighter submitting a FECA claim about the opportunity to participate in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's National Firefighter Registry Program, which will further develop scientific understanding of the unique health risks firefighters face.
  

The Federal Firefighters Fairness Act is endorsed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Fire Fighters, and the American Federal of Government Employees (AFGE).