[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 147 (Thursday, September 17, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. 
        Sheehy):
  S. 5433. A bill to authorize the Federal Wildland Firefighter Health 
and Wellbeing Program, a comprehensive initiative to improve the health 
of Federal wildland firefighters, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the bipartisan 
Wildland Firefighter Health and Safety Act. This bill would address 
some of the serious health risks Federal wildland firefighters face 
when on the job.
  We have all seen the devastation, destruction, and loss that has 
occurred in communities across the country as wildfires grow in 
frequency and intensity. Last year, we saw the Eaton and Palisades 
fires destroy thousands of structures and take 31 lives, making them 2 
of the worst fires in history.
  As a result of climate change, Californians have become all too 
familiar with wildfires. Containing them has proven to be a large 
undertaking that has required close local, State, and Federal 
coordination.
  Communities are able to make it through these horrific disasters 
thanks to the bravery and hard work of fire crews on the ground. During 
the LA fires, firefighters from across the State, country, and even 
abroad answered our call for support, and it is thanks to their hard 
work and bravery that more structures and, most importantly, more lives 
were not lost.
  We owe it to these heroes to ensure they have the support they need, 
given the dangerous nature of their work. In the 1970s, structural 
firefighters began using respiratory protection, yet we are still 
sending wildland firefighters into dangerous conditions without 
adequate protection.
  This bill would establish an interagency task force and an advisory 
panel of outside stakeholders to coordinate exposure reduction, pilot 
respiratory technologies, and develop an updated wildland firefighter 
health strategy every 3 years.
  I want to thank my colleague Senator Sheehy for coleading this effort 
with me in the Senate. Finally, I want to thank our brave Federal 
firefighters for risking their lives to protect our communities when 
they need it the most. I look forward to working with my colleagues to 
advance the Wildland Firefighter Health and Safety Act as quickly as 
possible.

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