H.R. 2111 – Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act

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Updated February 8, 2026 at 12:47 AM UTC

The Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code to create a presumption that certain diseases are service‑connected for veterans who performed military firefighting duties. If a qualified veteran develops one of the listed illnesses within 15 years after leaving service and has at least a 10 % disability rating, the condition will be treated as incurred or aggravated during service. The bill applies to veterans trained in fire suppression who served at least five years in a firefighting or damage‑control role.

Key Provisions

Adds a new Section 1119 to Title 38 establishing presumptions of service connection for specified diseases associated with firefighting.
Defines covered veterans as those trained in fire suppression and who served a minimum of five years in a military occupational specialty focused on firefighting or damage control.
Presumes service connection for a list of diseases including heart disease, lung disease, brain cancer, various blood and lymphatic cancers, leukemia, lymphoma (except Hodgkin’s), multiple myeloma, bladder, kidney, reproductive, digestive, colon, liver, skin, lung, and breast cancers, and any additional diseases the Secretary adds by regulation.
Requires the veteran’s disability rating to be at least 10 % and the disease to manifest within 15 years after separation from active service.
Allows the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to add other diseases by regulation if they are positively associated with firefighting.
Sets the effective date of any award under this section according to existing law (section 5110).

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee

June 16, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 19, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

March 19, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee

June 16, 2021

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 2111 on the floor

1 Republican

Rep. Paul A. GosarR-AZ-4 · Mar 11, 2021

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Arizona State House Bill 2111, the ``Second Amendment Firearm Freedom Act''. This bill takes an originalist and strong stance on Arizonans' right to…

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 19, 2021

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2111

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 19, 2021

Ms. Spanberger (for herself, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Luria, Mr. Katko, Mr. Beyer, Mrs. Hinson, Ms. Sherrill, Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Suozzi, and Mr. Meijer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish presumptions of service connection for diseases associated with firefighting.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act.

2.

Presumptions of service connection for diseases associated with firefighting

(a)

Establishment

Subchapter II of chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

1119.

Presumptions of service connection for diseases associated with firefighting

(a)

Service connection

For the purposes of section 1110 of this title, and subject to section 1113 of this title, a disease specified in subsection (b) becoming manifest in a veteran described in subsection (c) to a degree of disability specified in subsection (d) and within the period specified in subsection (e) shall be considered to have been incurred in or aggravated during active military, naval, or air service, notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of such disease during a period of such service.

(b)

Specified diseases

The diseases specified in this subsection are the following:

(1)

Heart disease.

(2)

Lung disease.

(3)

Brain cancer.

(4)

Cancer of the blood or lymphatic systems.

(5)

Leukemia.

(6)

Lymphoma (except Hodgkin’s disease).

(7)

Multiple myeloma.

(8)

Bladder cancer.

(9)

Kidney cancer.

(10)

Cancer of the reproductive system (including testicular cancer).

(11)

Cancer of the digestive system.

(12)

Colon cancer.

(13)

Liver cancer.

(14)

Skin cancer.

(15)

Lung cancer.

(16)

Breast cancer.

(17)

Each additional disease (if any) that the Secretary determines in regulations prescribed under this section—

(A)

warrants a presumption of service connection by reason of having positive association with firefighting; and

(B)

becomes manifest within the period (if any) prescribed in such regulations in a veteran described in subsection (c), notwithstanding subsection (e).

(c)

Covered veterans

A veteran described in this subsection is a veteran who—

(1)

is trained in fire suppression; and

(2)

served on active duty in a military occupational specialty or career field with a primary responsibility for firefighting or damage control for at least five years in the aggregate.

(d)

Degree of disability

The degree of disability specified in this subsection is 10 percent or more.

(e)

Period

The period specified in this subsection is within 15 years of the date on which the veteran separated from active military, naval, or air service.

(f)

Effective date of award

The effective date of an award under this section shall be determined in accordance with section 5110 of this title.

.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1118 the following new item:

1119. Presumptions of service connection for diseases associated with firefighting.

.