🧑‍🚒 Fighting for Firefighters’ Families

Iowa shines because of its people — hardworking farmers who feed the world, teachers who shape the next generation, and first responders who run toward danger to keep our communities safe. 

Zoom out: When a fire spreads, Iowa’s firefighters don’t hesitate — they rush in to protect every life and home despite not knowing if they’ll make it home at the end of the day. 

The problem: After years of constant exposure to carcinogens, firefighters face a 9% higher cancer rate than the general public. But under current law, if these heroes lose their battle, their families are often denied survivor benefits because their illness can’t be tied to a single incident.

That’s unacceptable — so we took action to fix it by pushing congressional leadership to include the bipartisan Honoring Our Heroes Act in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). And they listened.

✅ The bill is now in the NDAA — putting firefighter families one step closer to the survivor benefits they’ve earned.

The next step: Pass the final NDAA to deliver for Iowa’s firefighters, servicemembers, and security. 

Bottom Line: Iowa’s first responders show up for us. Congress must show up for them. I’ll keep fighting to make sure families of fallen firefighters get the survivor benefits they’ve not only earned, but truly deserve.