Health benefits for firefighters?

This bill has Passed the House of Representatives
Bill Summary

This bill provides federal workers' compensation to firefighters who contract 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. Sponsor: Rep. Salud Carbajal (Democrat, California, District 24)
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Opponents say

•    "Republicans strongly support assisting federal firefighters and ensuring they have access to medical benefits under the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) program. But we are against removing critical oversight measures. Claims for federal firefighters have always been evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but H.R. 2499 presumes federal firefighters diagnosed with heart disease, lung disease, or various cancers must have contracted the disease from work. It also plays favorites with federal workers by picking and choosing which workers automatically receive federal workers compensation." Source: Rep. Virginia Foxx (Republican, North Carolina, District 5)

Proponents say

•    "Federal firefighters have been on the front lines in California fighting wildfires as we experience longer and more extreme fire seasons, but their threshold to prove work-related illness is much higher than their state or local counterparts here in California and around the nation." Source: Rep. Salud Carbajal (Democrat, California, District 24)