Shaheen Helps Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Firefighters with Service-Related Cancers
(Washington, DC) – This week, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) helped introduce the bipartisan Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, led by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND). The bipartisan legislation, which passed unanimously (21-0) out of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee last year, 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.
“Every day, firefighters put themselves in immediate danger to protect their communities, often resulting in long-term health risks associated with serving in the line of duty,” said Shaheen. “It’s outrageous that when these heroes lose their lives or face severe disabilities due to service-related cancers, many of their families do not receive the same benefits as those who die in the line of duty. It’s time to fix this injustice by passing this bill that would give these families and firefighters the support they deserve.”
In addition to Shaheen, Klobuchar and Cramer, this legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Banks (R-IN), Barrasso (R-WY), Blackburn (R-TN), Blumenthal (D-CT), Coons (D-DE), Cornyn (R-TX), Cruz (R-TX), Duckworth (D-IL), Durbin (D-IL), Fetterman (D-PA), Fischer (R-NE), Graham (R-SC), Hirono (D-HI), Justice (R-WV), Kelly (D-AZ), Markey (D-MA), Padilla (D-CA), Rounds (R-SD), Schiff (D-CA), Sheehy (R-MT), Smith (D-MN), Warner (D-VA), Warren (D-MA), Welch (D-VT), Whitehouse (D-RI) and 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 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.
As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Shaheen has consistently secured resources to support New Hampshire firefighters. During the ongoing FY 2025 appropriations process, Shaheen has pushed to increase funding to $385 million for both the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs, an increase of $122 million over FY 2024. In August, Shaheen celebrated the announcement of more than $2.9 million in federal funding to support Granite State firefighters.
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