[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 5, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H796-H797]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FIREFIGHTER CANCER REGISTRY REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2023
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3821) to reauthorize the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of
2018.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3821
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Firefighter Cancer Registry
Reauthorization Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF VOLUNTARY REGISTRY FOR FIREFIGHTER
CANCER INCIDENCE.
Section 2(h) of the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2018
(42 U.S.C. 280e-5(h)) is amended by striking ``$2,500,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2018 through 2022'' and inserting
``$5,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms.
Schrier) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3821, the Firefighter
Cancer Registry Reauthorization Act.
Firefighters are among our Nation's first responder heroes. They are
on the front lines of the most dangerous and frightening emergencies,
and they bravely answer the call to save our family members and loved
ones from harm.
Tragically, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death for
firefighters, and firefighters are more likely to develop certain types
of cancer than the general public.
This legislation reauthorizes the voluntary National Firefighter
Registry for Cancer, which will help us to monitor, study, and
understand the relationship between the toxic exposures firefighters
face and cancer risk.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Pascrell and Fitzpatrick for
their work on this bipartisan legislation, I urge my colleagues to
support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. SCHRIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3821, the Firefighter Cancer
Registry Reauthorization Act of 2023, sponsored by Representative
Pascrell from New Jersey.
H.R. 3821 reauthorizes funding for the critical research at the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC, to monitor and
study the relationship between career-long exposure to dangerous fumes
and toxins and the incidence of cancer in firefighters from 2024 to
2028.
Created in 2018, the National Firefighter Registry was established to
address knowledge gaps and improve nationwide data collection
capabilities and monitoring of cancer incidence from a large and
diverse population of firefighters.
Studies have shown that firefighters may have a greater risk of some
types of cancer due to their exposure to smoke, toxins, and hazardous
chemicals. The registry's work is a collaboration amongst
epidemiologists, public health experts, clinicians, and firefighters.
Thousands of firefighters have enrolled, making it the most extensive
initiative ever undertaken in our country to comprehend and mitigate
cancer risks among firefighters.
This bill is supported by the International Association of Fire
Chiefs, the National Volunteer Fire Council, and National Fallen
Firefighters Foundation, among others.
I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
{time} 1615
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.
Ms. SCHRIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Let me emphasize, Mr. Speaker, how important it is that we look out
for our heroes, our firefighters, as well as they look out for us.
[[Page H797]]
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this very
important bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from New Jersey for bringing this
forward and working hard for this. He has seen what happens to
firefighters in his community from 9/11 and on, and it is really
important work that our firefighters do.
As he said, there is a group from Kentucky in town today with whom we
had a chance to talk. They are the heroes who go into burning buildings
to save our families and all the other things they do for us.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3821, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3821.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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