HB 1610, the FIRE Cancer Act of 2025, would amend the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to expand the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program so it can fund firefighter cancer prevention programs. The bill specifically allows grants to be used for multi-cancer early detection testing and other preventive tests for firefighting personnel, and it caps spending at $1,750 per test from those grant funds.
The bill also authorizes $700 million for these cancer prevention grants. In addition, it directs FEMA and the CDC to create a voluntary program for firefighters to share results from cancer screening or other preventive tests in anonymized, de-identified form so researchers can identify trends or possible causes of cancer among firefighters while protecting personal information.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would amend Section 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, changing the scope of allowable uses for firefighter assistance grants and adding a new federal grant category for cancer prevention. It would also create a federal data-sharing research program involving FEMA and the CDC, and it would require conforming changes to existing statutory cross-references. The main affected parties would be fire departments, firefighting personnel, FEMA, and CDC, with grant funds potentially supporting screening and prevention efforts nationwide.
Sentiment
The available context suggests generally positive support for the bill, with bipartisan sponsorship from Representatives Gottheimer, Bacon, Gillen, and Lawler. The bill was introduced and referred to committee without recorded opposition, amendment debate, or vote history in the provided materials. Its framing as a firefighter health and cancer-prevention measure indicates a broadly sympathetic policy goal.
Contention
No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented floor or committee controversy in the available materials. The most likely points of policy discussion would be the size of the authorization level, the $1,750 cap per test, and the handling of sensitive health data in the voluntary reporting program. Any concerns would likely center on federal spending, program administration, and privacy protections for firefighters' medical information.