Bill > S1942

Introduced Session

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 the duty of the employee, and for other purposes. Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2019 This bill provides federal worker's 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 is presumed to be proximately caused by such employment if the employee is diagnosed with the disease within 10 years of their employment in fire protection activities; 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 who contract any uncommon infectious disease, such as tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, or C, or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 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. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must examine the implementation of this bill and appropriate scientific and medical data related to the health risks of firefighting.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Tom Carper (D)*,  Tammy Baldwin (D),  Michael Bennet (D),  Sherrod Brown (D),  Susan Collins (R),  Chris Coons (D),  Dick Durbin (D),  Dianne Feinstein (D),  Angus King (I),  Ed Markey (D),  Jacky Rosen (D),  Brian Schatz (D),  Jon Tester (D), 

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (on 06/24/2019)

Official Document