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119-hr-4671119th CongressWALLET
Ensuring Casualty Assistance for our Firefighters Act
Sponsored By: Representative Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
In Committee
Summary
Creates a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program that would coordinate notifications, reimburse travel, and provide centralized case management and benefits navigation for families of firefighters and wildland fire support personnel. It also sets standards for casualty officers and data collection to improve survivor support.
Show full summary
- Families and next-of-kin would get coordinated death and hospitalization notifications, travel reimbursement to visit hospitalized personnel, rapid access to counselors and case managers, and a free online hub with personalized federal benefits information.
- Firefighters and wildland fire support personnel who are critically injured or killed would trigger defined casualty assistance duties, training and accountability for casualty officers, and formal liaison with benefit agencies to speed claims.
- The Secretary of the Interior would be required to establish the Program within six months and collect data in coordination with the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Help for wildland firefighter families
If enacted, Interior would create a casualty assistance program within six months. It would aid families of federal wildland firefighters and support staff who are critically hurt, become ill on duty, or die. Families would get clear notifications, case managers and counselors, and a free website with personalized info on federal benefits and how to ask for more help. It would reimburse next-of-kin for travel to visit the hospitalized worker or after a line-of-duty death, and assign trained casualty officers. It defines who counts as next-of-kin, requires agency coordination with Justice and Social Security on benefits, and tracks how well assistance is delivered. It would not change existing line-of-duty death benefits.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Franklin, Scott [R-FL-18]
FL • R
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 8/5/2025
Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov