[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 209 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6042-S6043]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Unanimous Consent Request--S. 2119

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I come to the floor today seeking 
unanimous consent of my legislation to reauthorize the Firefighter 
Cancer Registry, a law that was passed unanimously by Congress and 
signed into law in 2018.
  The Firefighter Cancer Registry improves our Nation's ability to 
conduct research and gather data on the cancer risks that are 
associated with firefighting, and in doing so, we learn how to mitigate 
those risks. It is a vital program, one that furthers our understanding 
of how to protect the brave first responders who run toward danger when 
everyone else is running away from it.
  Yet, on October 1 of last year, the program expired. That should have 
never happened. In July, this Chamber passed this very legislation as 
part of the National Defense Authorization Act, but, unfortunately, it 
was stripped out of the House version.
  My bipartisan, commonsense legislation would reauthorize the program 
for an additional 5 years while bringing it in line with the current 
appropriation level. And since this body has already once approved 
reauthorizing it at this funding level, a unanimous consent vote should 
be a simple task that we can all agree upon.
  In the House, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has already 
marked up language identical to this bill, including the specific $5.5 
million figure which, I should add, is in line with the program's 
current appropriation. Further, the $5.5 million appropriation was the 
product of a negotiation between the firefighter organizations, 
including the International Association of Fire Fighters, the CDC, and 
the House committee members. Although the CDC actually wanted the 
program funded at a higher level of $7.5 million, there was an 
agreement on that $5.5 million, which is the present authorization.

[[Page S6043]]

  Supported by Senators Murkowski, Brown, Klobuchar, Fischer, Rubio, 
Tester, and Blumenthal, this legislation would benefit both career 
firefighters as well as volunteers such as my constituent Edward Diaz. 
Mr. Diaz is the son of Eduardo Diaz, a North Bergen firefighter who, 
tragically, passed away in 2017 from pancreatic cancer.
  Today, Edward carries on his family's legacy as a volunteer 
firefighter in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. I submit to my colleagues the 
Diaz family, along with their fellow brothers and sisters in the 
profession, are the reason we should support this bill today. 
Firefighters put their lives and well-being on the line every single 
day to keep our loved ones and our communities safe, and it is time we 
care for them and make their health a priority. Firefighting is more 
than a job. It is a calling. I believe we should honor that calling by 
reauthorizing the Firefighter Cancer Registry.
  I don't think we need to wait for a firefighter to die to honor them. 
We can honor them by ultimately passing this legislation so we can 
continue to mitigate the risk firefighters face by cancer substances 
that ultimately can take their life.
  Mr. President, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be 
discharged from further consideration of S. 2119; that the Senate 
proceed to its immediate consideration; further, that the bill be 
considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. COTTON. Mr. President.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arkansas.
  Mr. COTTON. Reserving the right to object, I voted for this 
legislation in July as part of the annual Defense bill, and I don't 
personally oppose its passage. Senator Lee and Senator Paul have 
reservations about the bill, though they couldn't be present at this 
time. As a courtesy, therefore, I object on behalf of Senator Lee and 
Senator Paul.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from New Jersey.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I appreciate that Senator Cotton is 
supportive. But let me just say, I wish Senator Paul and Senator Lee 
were here to have firefighters across this Nation understand why 
something that is bipartisan--something that passed the Senate through 
the NDAA, something that is presently exactly being mirrored by 
Republicans in the House of Representatives--cannot ultimately pass 
this Chamber.
  I guess it is ``bah humbug'' to firefighters this season. But we 
won't stop until we get it passed.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.