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119-s-3183119th CongressWALLET

Healthy Lungs for Heroes Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

Introduced

Summary

Strengthens respiratory protection for wildland firefighters. The bill would require the Forest Service to set smoke exposure standards, make appropriate respirators commercially available, and require their use when smoke exceeds combined permissible exposure limits.

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  • Wildland firefighters and supporting staff would be required to use respiratory personal protective equipment in settings where smoke exposure exceeds the combined permissible exposure limits. Standards must be periodically reviewed and can incorporate the most recent NFPA 1984 respirator guidance.
  • The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, would coordinate with the Department of the Interior, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and OSHA to determine appropriate PPE and develop a strategy within 1 year.
  • The bill directs a strategy to make commercially available appropriate respiratory PPE and authorizes funding of "such sums as are necessary" each fiscal year to carry out these provisions.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Better respiratory protection for firefighters

This bill would direct the Agriculture Secretary (through the Forest Service) to set safety rules for wildland firefighters and supporting staff. Not later than 1 year after enactment, the Secretary would make a plan to make appropriate respiratory masks commercially available where smoke exceeds covered permissible exposure limits. In consultation with NIOSH and OSHA, the Secretary would decide which respirators are appropriate and require firefighters and support staff to use them in high-smoke settings. The bill would require periodic reviews of PPE and safety limits, let the agencies adopt the latest NFPA 1984 respirator standard as needed, and develop wildfire-specific smoke limits if current limits do not fit. It would also authorize the Secretary to get "such sums as are necessary" each year to carry out these actions.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT]

    UT • R

    Sponsored 11/18/2025

  • Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 11/18/2025

  • Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 11/18/2025

  • Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 12/2/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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