Cantwell Secures $1 Million for Studying Cancers in Firefighters

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, helped secure the adoption of an amendment to the Defense, Labor, and Health budget that will provide funding for implementing the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2018.

Last year, Senator Cantwell co-sponsored the introduction of the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2018, and last month it was enacted into law, establishing a national registry to collect data on the incidence of cancer among firefighters.  Senate Amendment 3705, adopted May 20th, puts this law into motion by providing $1 million in funding to establish the volunteer national registry.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), firefighters are exposed to nearly two million fires or hazardous materials incidents each year. The creation of the national registry will provide better information into the occupational hazards facing approximately one million professional and volunteer firefighters. 

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