Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2022

Bill: 117-s-1116
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2021-04-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Blood and blood diseases
Cancer
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Disability and paralysis
Disability assistance
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee benefits and pensions
Evidence and witnesses
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
HIV/AIDS
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health personnel
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Musculoskeletal and skin diseases
Neurological disorders
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-04-14
text: 

Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 

2021

 
 This bill provides federal workers' compensation to firefighters who contract certain illnesses as a result of their service.
 
Specifically, the bill provides that (1) heart disease, lung disease, and specified cancers of federal employees employed in fire protection activities for at least 5 years are presumed to be proximately caused by such employment if the employee is diagnosed with the disease within 10 years of employment; and (2) the disability or death of the employee due to such disease is presumed to result from personal injury sustained in the performance of duty. These presumptions also apply to fire protection employees (regardless of the length of employment) who contract any communicable disease at the center of a designated pandemic or any chronic infectious disease that the Department of Labor determines is related to job-related hazards.
 
 An 
employee in fire protection activities
 is a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) 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 (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility.

action_date: 2022-09-13
text: 

Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 

2022

 
 This bill provides federal workers' compensation to firefighters who contract certain illnesses as a result of their service.
 
Specifically, the bill provides that heart disease, lung disease, and specified cancers of federal employees employed in fire protection activities for at least 5 years are presumed to be proximately caused by such employment if the employee is diagnosed with the disease within 10 years of employment. The Department of Labor must periodically review the bill's listed diseases and conditions and make appropriate additions.
 
 An 
employee in fire protection activities
 is a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) 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 (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility.
 
Additionally, the Department of Interior and the Department of Agriculture must jointly study the long-term health effects experienced by federal wildland firefighters who are eligible for workers' compensation. The bill also requires Labor to revise regulations so as to allow at least 60 days (rather than at least 30 days) for a claimant to submit any additional evidence that is requested by the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs to support a federal workers' compensation claim.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-09-13
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 485.
action_date: 2022-09-13
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 117-146.
action_date: 2022-09-13
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 117-146.
action_date: 2022-05-25
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2021-04-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2021-04-14
text: Introduced in Senate