OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Firefighter Protections

Floor Speech

Date: Jan. 8, 2026
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. WHITESIDES. Madam Speaker, this week marks the first anniversary of the southern California wildfires that took lives, devastated communities, and left families across our region displaced.

We are lucky that the damage was not worse, and that is only because of the wildland firefighters who run toward danger and risk their lives for all of us.

For decades, these heroes were prohibited from wearing respiratory protection, even as the science made clear that wildfire smoke causes lasting lung damage and is linked to more than a dozen cancers.

Firefighters' life expectancy is now nearly 10 years shorter than the average American. That is unacceptable.

The Healthy Lungs for Heroes Act changes that. It directs our Federal land agencies to develop and require respiratory protection when smoke exposure becomes dangerous.

Protecting our firefighters' lungs should not be controversial. This bill ensures that those who protect us are finally protected themselves.

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