[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 25, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H2932]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS

  (Ms. Goodlander of New Hampshire was recognized to address the House 
for 5 minutes.)
  Ms. GOODLANDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor America's 
firefighters and first responders. These are American heroes who put 
their lives on the line every single day to keep our communities safe. 
These are heroes who give their lives to saving lives.
  Firefighters run into fire for us. They are on the front lines of 
fighting our Nation's opioid epidemic. In their service to all of us, 
firefighters are exposed to toxic chemicals and cancer-causing 
chemicals every single day. That is why cancer is the leading cause of 
death for America's firefighters.
  They do all this work for us, knowing the hazards of the important 
job that they do. That is what makes them the best of America. They are 
heroes with families and loved ones who deserve our support.
  Today, the families of fallen American heroes who died from cancers 
they developed in their service to all of us aren't getting the Federal 
benefits they have earned because of a gap in existing law. Let me 
repeat that. American heroes who have died from cancer in service to 
our country aren't getting the benefits that they have earned because 
of fixable gaps in Federal law. That is not right, and Congress can do 
something about this.
  I am here today because we must close this gap for New Hampshire 
heroes who are standing beside me today and who are with us today in 
this Chamber. They are New Hampshire heroes Lieutenant Jessica Wyman of 
Nashua Fire Rescue and Lieutenant Aaron Cooper of Keene Fire 
Department, both of whom lost their lives to lung cancer that they 
developed in the line of duty.
  These two brave heroes gave their lives to keep our communities safe. 
Their families and loved ones deserve to get the benefits they have 
earned.
  That is why today, Mr. Speaker, I call on Members of Congress from 
across America to support bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the 
Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, H.R. 1269. This is commonsense, long 
overdue legislation that I am proud to cosponsor. It will deliver for 
our first responders and their families.
  I say today I am forever grateful to Lieutenant Chris Wyman, a hero 
in his own right, who is here with us in this Chamber today. He has 
come to Congress to do what we all should hope every American will do, 
which is to advocate for this legislation that we have to get done.
  In this Chamber, there are words behind me, words of New Hampshire's 
own Daniel Webster, who called on us to do something, to do something 
worthy to be remembered. These heroes, including this hero standing 
before us today, have done so much that is worthy to be remembered and 
worthy to be honored.
  As eloquent as Daniel Webster was, I want to say that Lieutenant 
Jessica Wyman lived by a motto that is even more powerful to me. It 
resonates even more deeply with me. She lived by the motto: Tell me and 
I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.
  I thank Lieutenant Wyman from the bottom of my heart for involving me 
in this cause. It is a cause that I am going to fight for because it is 
a cause that we should all be on board with. It is honoring American 
heroes who are the best of our country.
  By making the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act law, the United States 
Congress will do something worthy to be remembered. I want to get all 
of my colleagues involved. With that, I say let's get this done this 
Congress. It is long overdue, and I thank Lieutenant Wyman for her 
service.

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