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119-hr-705119th CongressWALLET

To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a compensation fund for military firefighters exposed to PFAS.

Sponsored By: Representative Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a _Military Firefighters Compensation Fund_ to provide compensation and medical benefits to military firefighters, certain contractors, and survivors for illnesses linked to PFAS exposure.

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  • Current and former military firefighters would get a presumption of PFAS exposure if they worked at a military installation, National Guard facility, or formerly used defense site when PFAS were present. They could receive compensation for disability or death plus medical services, appliances, supplies, and reasonable travel costs to obtain care.
  • Survivors and families would get defined priority payments. Benefits flow first to a surviving spouse, then to children, then parents, then grandchildren, then grandparents. If there is a surviving spouse and at least one minor child who is not the spouse’s natural or adopted child, half goes to the spouse and half is split among those minor children.
  • Certain contractors and subcontractors who served the Department of Defense would be eligible for the same presumption and compensation where applicable.
  • The Secretary of Defense would be required to set up the program and fund within two years and the bill authorizes such sums as may be necessary to operate it.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

PFAS compensation for military firefighters

If enacted, the Secretary of Defense would create a Military Firefighters Compensation Fund within two years. Current and former military firefighters would be able to get payments for disability or death from PFAS exposure. The bill would create a rebuttable presumption of PFAS exposure if you worked at a military installation, National Guard facility, or formerly used defense site when PFAS was present. If a firefighter died, payments would go first to a surviving spouse, then children, parents, grandchildren, and grandparents. If a spouse lives and there are minor children who are not the spouse's, half would go to the spouse and half would be split among those children. Medical care, doctor-prescribed supplies, and reasonable travel to get care could be paid under the program. Benefits would start from the date you filed a claim. The bill would authorize such sums as may be necessary to run the program.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]

WA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 1/23/2025

  • Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 3/11/2025

  • Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 4/17/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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