The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act expands federal benefits for public safety officers—police, firefighters, and similar personnel—who develop cancer from occupational exposure. The bill adds 22 specific cancer types (including lung, bladder, brain, and mesothelioma) to the list of presumed work-related injuries, meaning officers or their families can more easily claim federal death and disability benefits without proving the direct connection between their job and their illness. The law applies retroactively to claims dating back to January 1, 2020, and allows three years from enactment for officers to file new claims. The Bureau of Justice Programs must review the cancer list every three years and can add new types based on medical evidence, with a process for public petitions to add cancers. The bill also strengthens confidentiality protections for information submitted to the Justice Department in support of these claims.
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