Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act

# Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act Summary **What the bill would do:** This bill would make it easier for military veterans who worked as firefighters to receive VA (Veterans Affairs) disability benefits and health care. Currently, veterans must prove their health conditions were caused by their military service. This bill would instead create a "presumption" that certain diseases diagnosed in military firefighters were caused by their service, eliminating the need for veterans to provide extensive evidence.

This applies to diseases that appear within 15 years of leaving the military and result in at least 10% disability. **Who it affects:** The bill targets veterans who spent at least five years performing firefighting or damage control duties during active military service. These firefighters would benefit because military firefighting involves exposure to hazardous materials, smoke, and other occupational hazards that can cause serious health conditions like cancer and respiratory diseases. **Current status:** The bill is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives. It was introduced by Representative Don Bacon (R-Nebraska) in the 119th Congress.