With Friday observed as National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) is calling attention to a bill she cosponsored that expands access to federal support for families of firefighters and other first responders who die or become permanently disabled from service-related cancers.
Hyde-Smith was a cosponsor of the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025, which became law after being folded into the annual defense policy bill and signed by President Donald Trump on Dec. 19. The bipartisan bill was led by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.).
The law amends the federal Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program to recognize occupational cancer as a line-of-duty death or disability – a change sponsors call a “vital update” reflecting the heightened cancer risks firefighters and other first responders face from chronic carcinogen exposure.
“The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act recognizes that the lives and health of our first responders, whether law enforcement, firefighters, or EMTs, are deeply affected by exposure to dangerous contaminants and chronic carcinogens. Today, these first responders and their families will have better access to federal benefits,” Hyde-Smith stated. “I consider enactment of this law as a showing of our appreciation for those who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities.”
Under the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, the families of firefighters and other first responders who lose their lives or become permanently disabled as a result of service-related cancers are eligible for support from the PSOB program. Previously, benefits were generally limited to physical injuries sustained in the line of duty or deaths caused by duty-related heart attacks, strokes, or certain mental health conditions.
Firefighters are routinely exposed to dangerous carcinogens such as benzene and formaldehyde, often released in fires. A study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found firefighters face a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from it compared with the general population, making occupational cancer one of the leading causes of line-of-duty deaths.
“This is a critical victory for our firefighters who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, and for their loved ones,” Klobuchar stated. “This bipartisan legislation will ensure that the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program covers service-related cancers – honoring the commitment we make to our firefighters…and other first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
“Our first responders epitomize courage and selfless sacrifice, confronting both the immediate perils of their duty, which are extreme, and the lingering health risks associated with their service,” Cramer added. “Their exposure to dangerous carcinogens happens on our behalf. When these heroes make the ultimate sacrifice, their families should not have to bear these burdens alone.”
The bill drew broad support from first responder organizations, including the International Association of Fire Fighters, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Fraternal Order of Police, and Major County Sheriffs of America, among other groups.