S 3183

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 18, 2025

Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Sheehy, and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to improve safety standards for wildland firefighters, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Healthy Lungs for Heroes Act of 2025”.

SEC. 2. SAFETY STANDARDS FOR WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS.

(a) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) Covered permissible exposure limits.—The term “covered permissible exposure limits” means—

(A) the permissible smoke exposure limit established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; and

(B) the permissible occupational smoke exposure limit established by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

(2) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.

(3) Secretary concerned.—The term “Secretary concerned” means—

(A) the Secretary, with respect to wildland firefighters under the direction of the Secretary; and

(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to wildland firefighters under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior.

(4) Wildland firefighter.—The term “wildland firefighter” means any person who participates in wildland firefighting activities under the direction of the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior, including under a contract with the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior.

(b) Safety Standards.—

(1) In general.—Subject to paragraph (2)—

(A) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, the Secretary of the Interior, and other appropriate Federal agencies, shall develop a strategy to make commercially available appropriate respiratory personal protective equipment for wildland firefighters and supporting staff in settings in which smoke exposure surpasses covered permissible exposure limits;

(B) the Secretary, in consultation with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, shall determine appropriate respiratory personal protective equipment for wildland firefighters and supporting staff in settings in which smoke exposure surpasses covered permissible exposure limits; and

(C) the Secretary concerned shall require each wildland firefighter and supporting staff to use the respiratory personal protective equipment determined under subparagraph (B) in settings in which smoke exposure surpasses covered permissible exposure limits.

(2) Review.—The Secretary shall—

(A) in consultation with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration—

(i) periodically review standards relating to personal protective equipment and other safety standards for wildland firefighters and supporting staff, including the respiratory personal protective equipment determined under paragraph (1)(B); and

(ii) develop an appropriate permissible exposure limit or occupational exposure limit for wildfire smoke for wildland firefighters and supporting staff participating in settings described in paragraph (1)(A) if the Secretary determines that the covered permissible exposure limits are not tailored to those settings; and

(B) incorporate into the standards described in subparagraph (A)(i), by reference, the most recent edition of standard NFPA 1984, entitled “Standard on Respirators for Wildland Fire-Fighting and Wildland Urban Interface Operations” (and any subsequent editions), as necessary, for the safety and personal protection of wildland firefighters and supporting staff, subject to the limit described in subsection

(a)(1)(A).

(c) Authorization of Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for each fiscal year. <all>