Peace Garden News

The U.S. Senate has approved the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). The legislation aims to extend the Department of Justice’s Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program to cover first responders who die or become disabled due to service-related cancers.

Currently, the PSOB program provides benefits for those affected by 9/11-related cancers but does not include other first responders who develop cancer as a result of their work.

Senator Cramer stated, “Our first responders epitomize courage and selfless sacrifice, confronting both the immediate perils of their duty – which are extreme – and the lingering health risks associated with their service. Their exposure to dangerous carcinogens happens on our behalf. When these heroes make the ultimate sacrifice, their families should not have to bear these burdens alone. I’m grateful my Senate colleagues passed this important legislation.”

Senator Klobuchar added, “Our firefighters put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, often exposing themselves to carcinogens that can have lethal long-term effects. It’s unacceptable that firefighters who succumb to cancer from work-related exposure or become permanently and totally disabled don’t receive the same treatment as others who die in the line of duty. This bipartisan legislation will ensure that the Public Safety Benefits Program covers service-related cancers— honoring the commitment we make to our firefighters like Captain Paidar and other first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice. We must uphold our promise to care for their families.”

The bill was unanimously reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 20 and has received support from numerous public safety organizations, including national associations representing firefighters, police officers, sheriffs, and law enforcement agencies.