POTENTIAL CHANGES TO FEDERAL PSOB BILL TO INCLUDE CANCER BENEFITS
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CONGRESS MEMBERS (US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE MEMBERS AND US SENATORS) AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT
(H.R. 1719/S. 930) Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act.
(H.R. 1719/S. 930) Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act.
The US Senate Bill 930, the companion bill to US H.R. 1719, has passed the US Senate Judiciary Committee in May, and now must be passed by the full Senate and US House of Representatives. This bill would expand access to Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) for the families of first responders, including firefighters, who pass away from certain cancers caused by carcinogenic exposure during their service. This bill would also extend disability benefits in cases where first responders become permanently and totally disabled due to cancer. Currently, first responders are only POSB eligible for physical injuries sustained in the line-of-duty, or for deaths from duty-related heart attacks, strokes, suicides, mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and 9/11 related illnesses.
This bill has been endorsed by National Fire Service Groups such as the NVFC, IAFC, and IAFF.
Here is the link. It was filed in 2023, hence the strikethrough at the beginning.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/118/s930/text
NC’s LODD benefit already includes certain cancers, and getting these included in the PSOB language would be a huge benefit for our firefighters. Please call or write your Senator and US House of Representative members now!
The Board of the NC State Firefighters’ Association
Tim Bradley, EFO, CFO, FIFireE
Executive Director
