Vice President JD Vance praises firefighters, cites new benefits and funding for East Palestine study

Vice President JD Vance told members of the International Association of Fire Fighters at their legislative conference in Washington, D.C., that the administration is committed to supporting firefighters and the families of those who die in the line of duty. He praised recent federal steps that he said expand benefits and support for first responders and pointed to federal funding for research into long-term toxic exposure after the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment.

Vance opened by thanking the union leadership and the roughly 700 attendees, saying, "This is your nation's capital," and that the administration intends to "work with you over the next few years to continue to solve the problems that exist for our firefighting community." He framed firefighters and EMTs as essential public servants and emphasized that their service deserves both recognition and tangible support.

The speech highlighted several items the administration has backed. The introducer noted that "Occupational cancer is now recognized as a line of duty death," and Vance said the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act extends federal benefits to families of firefighters who die from cancers developed in the line of duty. Vance also credited leadership for advancing the Social Security Fairness Act and for supporting reauthorization of AFG and SAFER grants, which he said "help fire departments hire firefighters and keep their communities safe."

On rail safety, Vance described bipartisan work on what he called the Railway Safety Act following the derailment in East Palestine. He said the administration and the Department of Transportation and its partners had "appropriated millions of dollars" to study the long-term effects of toxic chemical exposure and to improve hazmat training for firefighters. "We appropriated millions of dollars ... just to understand the effects of toxic chemical exposure over time," he said, adding that Secretary Kennedy made the issue a priority.

Vance also shared a personal story about his family's experience with opioid addiction to underscore the real-world impact of first responders: local EMTs and firefighters, he said, helped his family when his mother overdosed and later supported her recovery. He used the anecdote to argue that public safety services should be available to everyone regardless of income.

The vice president repeatedly framed the administration's support as both symbolic and practical: "it's not just about words, it's about action," he said, pointing to legislative achievements and funding for research and grants. He closed by thanking attendees and saying the administration would "stand shoulder to shoulder with you as we rebuild the United States of America," before ending his remarks.

No formal votes or policy actions were taken at the event; Vance's appearance was a speech to conference attendees and not a legislative or rulemaking session.