H.R. 2499 · 117th Congress

Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2022

Introduced on Apr 14, 2021 by Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA-24). 203 cosponsors, 27 of them from another party. Latest action (May 12, 2022): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Stage
Passed one chamber
Introduced
Apr 14, 2021
Cosponsors
203
27 from the other party
Policy area
Government Operations and Politics
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, to create a presumption that a disability or death of a Federal employee in fire protection activities caused by any of certain diseases is the result of the performance of such employees duty, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Blood and blood diseases
  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular and respiratory health
  • Digestive and metabolic diseases
  • Disability and paralysis
  • Disability assistance
  • Emergency medical services and trauma care
  • Employee benefits and pensions
  • Evidence and witnesses
  • Fires
  • First responders and emergency personnel
  • Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
  • Health personnel
  • Infectious and parasitic diseases
  • Musculoskeletal and skin diseases
  • Neurological disorders
  • Worker safety and health

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Passed House, May 11, 2022). Public domain.

Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2022

This bill makes it easier for federally employed firefighters who contract certain illnesses to qualify for federal workers' compensation.

Specifically, the bill provides that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mesothelioma, and specified other cancers of those employed in fire protection activities for at least five years are presumed to be proximately caused by such employment for purposes of a disability or death claim under the federal workers' compensation program. This presumption also applies to federal employees employed in fire protection activities for at least five years who experience a sudden cardiac event or stroke within 24 hours of performing a fire protection activity.

The bill also requires the Department of Labor to conduct a review to determine whether breast cancer, gynecological cancer, and rhabdomyolysis should be included under the presumption and to conduct periodic reviews to determine whether other diseases should be included. In addition, a person may petition Labor to include another disease under the presumption.

An employee in fire protection activities is a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker who (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishing of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk, including the prevention, control, suppression, or management of wildland fires; and (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Salud O. CarbajalD-CA-24Sponsor

Democrats · 176

Republicans · 27

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Agreeing to the Amendment
    May 11, 2022· House· Amendments· Agreed to 224–195
  2. On Agreeing to the Amendment
    May 11, 2022· House· Amendments· Agreed to 419–0
  3. On Agreeing to the Amendment
    May 11, 2022· House· Amendments· Failed 180–242
  4. On Passage
    May 11, 2022· House· Passage· Passed 288–131

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Apr 14, 2021Introduced in House
  2. Apr 14, 2021Introduced in House
  3. Apr 14, 2021 · HouseReferred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
  4. Mar 16, 2022 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  5. Mar 16, 2022 · HouseOrdered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 31 - 18.
  6. May 6, 2022Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 117-306.
  7. May 6, 2022 · HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 117-306.
  8. May 6, 2022 · HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 226.
  9. May 10, 2022 · HouseRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1097 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 903, H.R. 2499, H.R. 5129 and H.R. 7691. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 903, H.R. 2499, and H.R. 5129 under a structured rule. H.R. 7691 is considered under a closed rule. Bills considered under the rule are debatable for one hour. The rule provides that H. Res. 1096 is adopted and amends H. Res. 188 by striking May 13, 2022 and inserting June 10, 2022.
  10. May 11, 2022 · HouseConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1097. (consideration: CR H4816-4831)
  11. May 11, 2022 · HouseRule provides for consideration of H.R. 903, H.R. 2499, H.R. 5129 and H.R. 7691. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 903, H.R. 2499, and H.R. 5129 under a structured rule. H.R. 7691 is considered under a closed rule. Bills considered under the rule are debatable for one hour. The rule provides that H. Res. 1096 is adopted and amends H. Res. 188 by striking May 13, 2022 and inserting June 10, 2022.
  12. May 11, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 2499.
  13. May 11, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1097, the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Scott (VA) amendment en bloc No. 1.
  14. May 11, 2022 · HousePOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Scott (VA) amendment en bloc, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mrs. Greene (GA) demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  15. May 11, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1097, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Joyce (OH) amendment No. 3.
  16. May 11, 2022 · HousePOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Joyce (OH) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mrs. Greene (GA) demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  17. May 11, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1097, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on Keller amendment No. 4.
  18. May 11, 2022 · HousePOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Keller amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Keller demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  19. May 11, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 288 - 131 (Roll no. 149).House · Roll call 149
  20. May 11, 2022 · HouseOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 288 - 131 (Roll no. 149). (text of amendment in the nature of a substiute: CR H4816-4817)House · Roll call 149
  21. May 11, 2022 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  22. May 12, 2022 · SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 5, 2026 · loaded Oct 5, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.