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The US Senate makes major step towards recognizing firefighter cancers as line‑of‑duty deaths

 

Firefighters in front of a legislative building. Executed by MS Co-Pilot from a prompt by Bjorn Ulfsson.
 18 Dec 2025

The US Senate makes major step towards recognizing firefighter cancers as line‑of‑duty deaths

en
Fire Fighter´s Advocacy
 
Firefighter Cancer
 
Firefighter Unions
 
Firefighter's Health
 
Line of Duty Deaths

The US senate  has passed the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, recognizing firefighter occupational cancers as line‑of‑duty deaths and extending federal benefits to families. This marks a shift in U.S. policy towards aligning with decades of advocacy by firefighter unions and survivors.

According to a statement on IAFF.org, the passing of the Act in the Senate is a "major step forward for the thousands of survivors who have been denied PSOB benefits after losing their loved one to cancer... It now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration."

According to IAFF.org, the Honor Act has strong bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. A companion bill in the House (H.R. 1269) currently has 152 cosponsors – 112 Democrats and 40 Republicans.   

Edward Kelly, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)  was quoted in FireRescue1 on December 18: 

“Cancer is the leading cause of firefighter deaths, and it is long past time the federal government recognized that truth... This legislation ensures our fallen are honored, and their families are not left behind.”

According to FireEngineering.com, the legislation updates the federal Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program, which expands death and education benefits for surviving family members when a firefighter dies from job-related cancer. It also is said to apply towards benefits received for disability cases resulting from cancer. 

The article above also features a list of which types of cancers are said to be covered. 

Illustration credit:
Firefighters in front of a legislative building. Executed by MS Co-Pilot from a prompt by Bjorn Ulfsson.

Read More: 

https://www.iaff.org/news/senate-passes-bipartisan-honor-act-recognizing-fire-fighter-cancer-as-line-of-duty/

https://www.firerescue1.com/cancer/bill-recognizing-occupational-cancer-as-a-li…

https://www.fireengineering.com/news/senate-house-fatal-firefighter-cancers-as-…

https://firstrespondercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Firefighter-Presumptive-Cancer-Legislation-in-the-US-Web_FINAL.pdf

https://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/senate-passes-honor-act-recognizing-firefighter-cancers-psob-the-secret-list/

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