Firefighter Cancer Registry Reauthorization Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the members of the Energy and Commerce Committee on both sides of the aisle for this reauthorization act. The time flies. When we put this together 5 years ago, it was bipartisan, as well.

Our fire heroes run into burning buildings while we run away, and they make harrowing rescues every single day, saving lives and protecting property. Nonetheless, there are dangerous carcinogens lurking in the air that they breathe and in the equipment that they use. The effects of these toxins are not fully known and may take years to determine.

In 2022, the International Association for Research on Cancer found that the very occupation of firefighting causes cancer. We are talking about thousands of volunteers and thousands of career firefighters.

Cancer is the leading cause, Mr. Speaker, as you just heard, of line- of-duty deaths for firefighters, but behind each statistic is a beloved public servant.

Eduardo Diaz, a firefighter in North Bergen, passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 53. Firefighter Diaz was a beloved resident of Hasbrouck Heights and a member of the Professional Firefighters of New Jersey, who are in town and who are supporting Federal aid for firefighters.

In my hometown of Paterson, my close friend, FMBA firefighter Jerry Behnke, tragically died from brain cancer.

These are but two of too many firefighters lost to cancer.

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it is reported on the cancer registry in their State--Democrats and Republicans saw the significance of this 5 years ago when there was no registry--but specific details about their work are not collected.

To focus attention on this issue that can yield results, in 2018, the Congress rightfully created the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer. It is the largest effort in history to understand and reduce cancer among firefighters.

Because of this, the CDC has made a database of firefighters with cancer to monitor and study the ties between career-long exposure to dangerous fumes and toxins and the incidence of firefighter cancer. Since its opening year, more than 10,000 firefighters have voluntarily enrolled in the registry.

My bill would reauthorize the registry for another 5 years at a very modest funding level for what we hope can be lifesaving work.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support passage of this measure so we can get it onto the President's desk as soon as possible.

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