Bill > HR2244

This bill, named the "Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act," aims to establish presumptions of service connection for military firefighters diagnosed with specific diseases. The bill would create a new section in veterans' law that automatically considers certain health conditions as service-connected for veterans who were trained in fire suppression and served in a firefighting or damage control role for at least five years. The presumption applies to a wide range of diseases, including heart disease, various types of cancer (such as brain, lung, blood, lymphatic, bladder, kidney, reproductive, digestive, and skin cancers), and lung disease. To qualify, the veteran must have been diagnosed with one of these conditions at a 10 percent disability level or higher within 15 years of separating from active military service. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is also given the flexibility to add additional diseases to this list through regulations if they can be positively associated with firefighting. This bill is designed to provide easier access to veterans' benefits for military firefighters who may have been exposed to health risks during their service.

Health and Social Services, Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2244/all-info