WASHINGTON, DC - Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) issued the following statement after President Trump signed into law H.R. 931, the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2017.
“Day after day, firefighters all across the country are quick to answer the call of duty. Whether they do so in volunteer service or as a career, they put their communities first on a daily basis without question," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX). “This commonsense bill will create a national registry to better document the physical toll these everyday heroes undertake and help lead to better treatment options. We look forward to seeing this registry come to fruition and applaud Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) for his leadership on this issue."
Background:
H.R. 931, authored by Rep. Collins, will require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and maintain a voluntary registry to collect data regarding the incidence of cancer in firefighters. This registry will allow researchers to have a greater understanding of the impacts of smoke inhalation and other occupational hazards have on a firefighter’s health, and lead to better treatment options.
H.R. 931 first passed the House in September 2017, by voice vote. The Senate passed the bill, with an amendment, in May by unanimous consent. The House passed the amended bill on June 22, 2018, sending it to the president’s desk.
