I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1884 
To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, to create a presumption 
that a disability or death of a Federal employee in fire protection activi-
ties caused by any of certain diseases is the result of the performance 
of such employee’s duty. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 4, 2017 
Mr. CARBAJAL (for himself and Mr. TAKANO) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, to 
create a presumption that a disability or death of a 
Federal employee in fire protection activities caused by 
any of certain diseases is the result of the performance 
of such employee’s duty. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Firefighters 
Fairness Act of 2017’’. 
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SEC. 2. CERTAIN DISEASES PRESUMED TO BE WORK-RE-
LATED CAUSE OF DISABILITY OR DEATH FOR 
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES IN FIRE PROTECTION 
ACTIVITIES. 
(a) DEFINITION.—Section 8101 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(19); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (20) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(21) ‘employee in fire protection activities’ 
means a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical 
technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or 
hazardous material worker, who— 
‘‘(A) is trained in fire suppression; 
‘‘(B) has the legal authority and responsi-
bility to engage in fire suppression; 
‘‘(C) is engaged in the prevention, control, 
and extinguishment of fires or response to 
emergency situations where life, property, or 
the environment is at risk; and 
‘‘(D) performs such activities as a primary 
responsibility of his or her job.’’. 
(b) PRESUMPTION RELATING
TO EMPLOYEES
IN 
FIRE PROTECTION ACTIVITIES.—Section 8102 of title 5, 
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‘‘(iii) The following cancers: 
‘‘(I) Brain cancer. 
‘‘(II) Cancer of the blood or lymphatic 
systems. 
‘‘(III) Leukemia. 
‘‘(IV) Lymphoma (except Hodgkin’s 
disease). 
‘‘(V) Multiple myeloma. 
‘‘(VI) Bladder cancer. 
‘‘(VII) Kidney cancer. 
‘‘(VIII) Testicular cancer. 
‘‘(IX) Cancer of the digestive system. 
‘‘(X) Colon cancer. 
‘‘(XI) Liver cancer. 
‘‘(XII) Skin cancer. 
‘‘(XIII) Lung cancer. 
‘‘(iv) Any other cancer the contraction of 
which the Secretary of Labor through regula-
tions determines to be related to the hazards to 
which an employee in fire protection activities 
may be subject. 
‘‘(B) Regardless of the length of time an em-
ployee in fire protection activities has been em-
ployed, any uncommon infectious disease, including 
but not limited to tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, or C, 
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the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and any 
other uncommon infectious disease the contraction 
of which the Secretary of Labor through regulations 
determines to be related to the hazards to which an 
employee in fire protection activities may be sub-
ject.’’. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 5 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the National Institute of Occupa-
tional Safety and Health in the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention shall examine the implementation of 
this Act and appropriate scientific and medical data re-
lated to the health risks associated with firefighting and 
submit to Congress a report which shall include— 
(1) an analysis of the injury claims made under 
this Act; 
(2) an analysis of the available research related 
to the health risks associated with firefighting; and 
(3) recommendations for any administrative or 
legislative actions necessary to ensure that those dis-
eases most associated with firefighting are included 
in the presumption created by this Act. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section applies to an injury that is first diagnosed or 
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a death that occurs, on or after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
Æ 
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