The House approved bipartisan legislation authored by Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) to renew the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer by a vote of 413-to-7.

First established in 2018 by the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established a national cancer registry for firefighters to monitor and study the relationship between career-long exposure to dangerous fumes and toxins and the incidence of cancer in firefighters. Over 10,000 firefighters have already voluntarily enrolled in the registry. The authorization for the registry expired in 2022 and needs to be renewed. The measure (H.R. 3821, Pascrell/Fitzpatrick/Hoyer/Bost) approved today would extend the registry for five years and increase its authorized funding. The National Firefighter Registry for Cancer is the largest effort in history to understand and reduce cancer among firefighters. The Registry can eventually help the development of better protective gear and prevention techniques for first responders in New Jersey and across the United States.

“Every day, thousands of firefighters put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. These brave men and women encounter countless dangers on the job, including exposure to deadly carcinogens,” said Congressman Pascrell, the longtime co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. “Cancer is now the leading cause of death among firefighters and the federal government must have their backs. Just in our little region we lost great men like Eduardo Diaz and Jerry Behnke, and we are praying for our brother Bobby Allen who is suffering with a cancer diagnosis. With our creation of a national firefighter cancer registry, we have made important advances in keeping our heroes healthy and I am proud the House has agreed to renew the program today. Thank you to the bipartisan Congressional Fire Services Caucus co-chairs for their support. Firefighter safety is public safety, and I am committed to keeping our communities’ heroes healthy and safe.”

In 2015, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a multi-year study which found that firefighters are 9% more likely to develop cancer and 14% more likely to die from cancer relative to the general population. Last year, cancer was the leading cause of death among firefighters, accounting for 74% of line of duty deaths according to the International Association of Fire Fighters.

“I applaud the House of Representatives’ passage of the Firefighter Cancer Registry Reauthorization Act. Too many firefighters are contracting and dying from cancer caused by duty-related exposure. Additionally, many existing studies on firefighter cancer lack sufficient data on volunteers. Reauthorizing the National Firefighter Cancer Registry (NFR) will continue its critically important work to improve our understanding of how firefighters contract cancer and make it easier to prevent, detect, and treat cancer in firefighters. All firefighters need to sign up for the NFR,” said Steve Hirsch, Chair, National Volunteer Fire Council.

“The science is clear: Cancer is the greatest threat fire fighters face. But we need accurate data to help us take on this deadly disease. The National Firefighter Registry for Cancer is an invaluable tool that can help us better understand and end occupational cancer in the fire service. We must prioritize the health and safety of fire fighters, and the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer will help scientists make screening techniques, educational initiatives, and research agendas more effective. Congress should protect our nation’s fire fighters by immediately reauthorizing this critical program,” said Edward A. Kelly, General President, International Association of Fire Fighters.

“The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation strongly supports the reauthorization of the National Firefighter Cancer Registry (NFR). Numerous studies show that firefighters’ exposure during emergency responses may increase their risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.  The NFR is a critical tool in understanding the link between firefighting and cancer, potentially leading to better prevention and safety protocols,” said Victor Stagnaro, Chief Executive Officer of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF).

“As we continue to pray for our Legislative Chairman, Bobby Allen, who is suffering from this disease that has claimed too many of our brothers and sisters, I could not express louder the need for this legislation to be signed into law,”  said Eddie Donnelly President of the New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association (NJ FMBA). “No one fights harder for our members needs at the Federal level than Congressman Pascrell.  He has stood alongside us from the start when we began fighting for Cancer legislation for first responders. This is a serious concern for Firefighters and with the Congressman’s continued support, we will make great strides in protecting the men and women who are on the front lines in New Jersey. “

"I thank the House for passing the Firefighter Cancer Registry Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3821). As we learn more about the dangers of firefighting, this registry will provide important research to mitigate the risk of cancer for the men and women in the fire service. We ask the Senate to move expeditiously to pass this legislation," said Chief John S. Butler, President & Board Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. 

Congressman Pascrell’s legislation creating a first-of-its-kind firefighter cancer registry was signed into law on July 9, 2018. He has since continued to rally support for the program, working with key committees to ensure adequate funding for the Registry and its underlying mission.

The companion Senate measure (S.2199) to the Firefighter Cancer Registry Reauthorization Act was introduced by Senators Menendez (NJ) and Murkowski (AK).