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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any person may peti-
tion the Secretary to add a disease to the list 
under this section. 
‘‘(B) CONTENT OF PETITION.—Such peti-
tion shall provide information to show that 
there is sufficient evidence of a significant risk 
to employees in fire protection activities of de-
veloping such illness or disease from their em-
ployment. 
‘‘(C) TIMELY
AND
SUBSTANTIVE
DECI-
SIONS.—Not later than 18 months after receipt 
of a petition, the Secretary shall either grant or 
deny the petition by publishing in the Federal 
Register a written explanation of the reasons 
for the Secretary’s decision. The Secretary may 
not deny a petition solely on the basis of com-
peting priorities, inadequate resources, or insuf-
ficient time for review. 
‘‘(D) NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS.—Not 
later than 30 days after making any decision to 
approve or deny a petition under this para-
graph, the Secretary shall notify the Committee 
on Education and Labor of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Homeland 
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Security and Government Affairs of the Senate 
of such decision. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) EMPLOYEE IN FIRE PROTECTION ACTIVI-
TIES.—The term ‘employee in fire protection activi-
ties’ means an employee employed as 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, including the pre-
vention, control, suppression, or management of 
wildland fires; and 
‘‘(D) performs such activities as a primary 
responsibility of his or her job. 
‘‘(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 
Secretary of Labor.’’. 
(b) RESEARCH COOPERATION.—Not later than 120 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Labor shall establish a process by which a Federal em-
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ployee in fire protection activities filing a claim related to 
a disease on the list established by section 8143b of title 
5, United States Code, will be informed about and offered 
the opportunity to contribute to science by voluntarily en-
rolling in the National Firefighter Registry or a similar 
research or public health initiative conducted by the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention. 
(c) AGENDA FOR FURTHER REVIEW.—Not later than 
3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) evaluate the best available scientific evi-
dence of the risk to an employee in fire protection 
activities of developing breast cancer, gynecological 
cancer, and rhabdomyolysis; 
(2) add breast cancer, gynecological cancer, and 
rhabdomyolysis to the list established under section 
8143b of title 5, United States Code, by rule in ac-
cordance with subsection (a)(3) of such section, if 
the Secretary determines that such evidence sup-
ports such addition; and 
(3) submit a report of the Secretary’s findings 
under paragraph (1) and the Secretary’s determina-
tion under paragraph (2) to the Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor of the House and the Committee 
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on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of 
the Senate. 
(d) REPORT
ON
FEDERAL
WILDLAND
FIRE-
FIGHTERS.—The Director of the National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health shall conduct a com-
prehensive study on long-term health effects that Federal 
wildland firefighters who are eligible to receive workers’ 
compensation under chapter 81 of title 5, United States 
Code, experience after being exposed to fires, smoke, and 
toxic fumes when in service. Such study shall include— 
(1) the race, ethnicity, age, gender, and time of 
service of such Federal wildland firefighters partici-
pating in the study; and 
(2) recommendations to Congress on what legis-
lative actions are needed to support such Federal 
wildland firefighters in preventing health issues from 
this toxic exposure, similar to veterans that are ex-
posed to burn pits. 
(e) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this 
section shall apply to claims for compensation filed on or 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(f) REPORT ON AFFECTED EMPLOYEES.—Beginning 
1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall include in each annual report on implementa-
tion of the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act pro-
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gram and issues arising under it that the Secretary makes 
pursuant to section 8152 of title 5, United States Code, 
the total number and demographics of employees with dis-
eases and conditions described in the amendments made 
by this Act as of the date of such annual report, 
disaggregated by the specific condition or conditions, for 
the purposes of understanding the scope of the problem. 
The Secretary may include any information they deem 
necessary and, as appropriate, may make recommenda-
tions for additional actions that could be taken to mini-
mize the risk of adverse health impacts for Federal em-
ployees in fire protection activities. 
SEC. 3. SUBROGATION OF CONTINUATION OF PAY. 
(a) SUBROGATION OF THE UNITED STATES.—Sec-
tion 8131 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘continuation 
of pay or’’ before ‘‘compensation’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘continuation 
of pay or’’ before ‘‘compensation already paid’’. 
(b) ADJUSTMENT AFTER RECOVERY FROM A THIRD 
PERSON.—Section 8132 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘continuation of pay or’’ before 
‘‘compensation’’ the first and second place it ap-
pears; 
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