WASHINGTON, DC — This week, Rep. Aguilar voted in support of the bipartisan Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2022 (H.R. 2499), which strengthens access to workers’ compensation benefits for federal firefighters in the Inland Empire who become injured or ill on the job.

“Firefighters across the country work together with county, city and tribal officials to ensure our communities are safe from devastating wildfires that states like California experience each year,” said Rep. Aguilar. “They are regularly exposed to heat, smoke and toxic substances while risking their lives to protect us. I’m proud to have helped pass this bipartisan bill that expands access to benefits and workers’ compensation, prioritizes equitability and ensures we protect all our firefighters.”

The Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2022 creates a list of diseases for which an automatic presumption of work-related illness would apply for eligible firefighters, modeled after the presumptions firefighters in California receive. This legislation also allows for additional illnesses to be proposed to and reviewed by the Secretary of Labor.

The legislation is endorsed by: International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire Fighters, and American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

Rep. Aguilar serves as the Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.

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