I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3431

To require the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to 

monitor the long-term health of firefighters involved in fighting fires 

within Federal disaster areas. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 4, 2003

Mr. BACA (for himself, Mr. WAMP, Mr. OSBORNE, Mrs. BONO, Mr. ORTIZ, 

Mr. PASTOR, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. BECERRA, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. GRIJALVA, 

Mr. GONZALEZ, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KIND, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. HINOJOSA, Ms. ESHOO, 

Mr. ROSS, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. 

BELL, Mr. CARSON of Oklahoma, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. 

CROWLEY, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. EMANUEL, Mr. 

ETHERIDGE, Mr. EVANS, Mr. FROST, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. HILL, 

Mr. HONDA, Mr. INSLEE, Ms. LEE, Mr. MCINNIS, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. 

TOWNS, Ms. HARMAN, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, 

Mr. REYES, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. SMITH of Washington, 

Mr. MATSUI, Mr. FILNER, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. NORTON, Ms. 

MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Ms. WATERS, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Ms. 

SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. SHERMAN, Mrs. TAUSCHER, 

Mr. PAYNE, Ms. BERKLEY, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. NADLER, Mr. 

HOYER, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Mr. EDWARDS, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. DICKS, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, Mr. ISRAEL, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, 

Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. 

MATHESON, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. OSE, 

Mr. PALLONE, Mr. RENZI, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. SERRANO, 

Mr. TANNER, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. WEINER, Ms. WATSON, 

Mr. OLVER, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. OWENS, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. ACEVEDOVILA ́, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. 

DOOLEY of California, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. ISSA, and Ms. 

KILPATRICK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and the Workforce 
2

•HR 3431 IH 

A BILL

To require the National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health to monitor the long-term health of firefighters involved in fighting fires within Federal disaster 

areas.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as ‘‘Firefighters Medical Moni5 toring Act of 2003’’. 

6 SEC. 2. MONITORING OF FIREFIGHTERS IN DISASTER 

7 AREAS. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

9 Human Services, acting through the Director of the Na10 tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, shall 

11 monitor the long-term medical health of firefighters who 

12 have fought fires in any area for which the President has 

13 declared a major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford 

14 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. 

15 (b) HEALTH MONITORING.—Long-term health moni16 toring pursuant to subsection (a) with respect to a major 

17 disaster shall include monitoring for pulmonary illnesses, 

18 neurological damage, and cardiovascular damage and shall 

19 utilize the medical expertise available in all local areas af20 fected by the disaster. 
3

•HR 3431 IH 

1 (c) AUTHORIZATION.—To carry out this section, 

2 there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 

3 be necessary for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.

Æ