Lincoln Fire Union reacts after Senate passes Honor Act

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The U.S. Senate passed the Honor Act, which is aimed at expanding benefits and protections for first responders who put their lives on the line every day.

“It’s a huge piece of legislation for the families of our fallen,” said the president of the Lincoln Firefighters Association, Adam Schrunk.

Firefighters are often the first to respond to danger—fires, car crashes, and medical emergencies —and are usually the last to leave the scene.

The Honor Act seeks to support first responders, including those who suffer long-term health impacts from the job, such as cancer.

“This means a lot to our people, specifically our family members and the brothers and sisters who lose these people as well,” Schrunk said.

He said the bill sends a message that firefighters’ service doesn’t end when the shift does.

“You know these people have been dealing with these issues for a long time, these families, the brothers and sisters who lost these brothers and sisters,” Schrunk said. “We memorialize our fallen on a wall in Colorado Springs every year with the IFF, but the families have never been compensated for this.”

For firefighters and their families, the legislation represents validation that the physical and emotional toll of the job is being taken seriously at the national level.

“So, while we can’t bring their family members back, we can’t bring our brother and sister back; the fact that at least they don’t have to worry financially as much is a huge emotional win,” Schrunk said.

Supporters said that while more work remains, the passage of the Honor Act is a meaningful step toward protecting those who protect us.

“Those families that have been dealing with this, thank you for fighting alongside your union firefighters, thank you for providing your stories to us to take to these elected officials to make this happen finally.”