Klobuchar leading bi-partisan bill to help firefighters

(ABC 6 News) – A bipartisan bill has made its way to Capitol Hill. The “Honoring our fallen Heroes Act” has been introduced by Democratic Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and Republican North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer to expand benefits to firefighters with cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the leading cause of death for firefighters.

This new legislation would provide support for families of firefighters who passed away from cancer caused by exposure to carcinogens. This bill would also expand benefits to firefighters if they become unable to work due to cancer.

“Firefighters can be exposed to hundreds of carcinogens when responding to fires. It is only right that we treat cancer caused by on-the-job exposure and that’s what it would be it has to be on-the-job exposure the same we treat we treat other physical injuries,” Senator Klobuchar.

Many states across the country provide similar benefits like this. If passed this legislation would guarantee benefits for all firefighters in America. There is also a similar bipartisan bill in the house.