Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander spoke on the House Floor to honor the service and the lives of Lieutenant Jessica L. Wyman of Nashua Fire Rescue and Lieutenant Aaron “Coop” Cooper of Keene Fire Department and to urge her colleagues to pass the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, which she is proud to cosponsor and help lead.
The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, H.R. 1269, is bipartisan and bicameral legislation to fill a gap in existing law and ensure the leading cause of death for firefighters is covered. Currently, the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program — which provides benefits to first responders injured in the line of duty and to their families — only extends protection to first responders suffering from a narrow list of injuries and illnesses. This bill would fill a gap in PSOB coverage to more first responders and their families, including those like New Hampshire’s fallen heroes.
Congresswoman Goodlander’s full remarks, as delivered, are printed below and available here.
I rise today to honor America’s firefighters and first responders, American heroes who put their lives on the line every single day to keep our communities safe, heroes who give their lives to saving lives.
Firefighters run into fires for us, they’re on the front lines of fighting our nation’s opioid epidemic, and in their service to all of us, firefighters are exposed to toxic chemicals, cancer-causing chemicals every single day. That’s why cancer is the leading cause of death for America’s firefighters. They do all this, this work for us, knowing the hazards of the important job that they do, and that’s what makes them the best of America, heroes who deserve our support, heroes with families and loved ones who deserve our support.
But today, the families of fallen American heroes who died from cancers they developed in their service to all of us aren’t getting the federal benefits they have earned because of a gap in existing law. Let me repeat that: American heroes who have died from cancer in their service to our country aren’t getting the benefits that they have earned because of gaps in federal law. Fixable gaps in federal law. That’s not right, and Congress can do something about this.
I’m here today because we must close this gap for New Hampshire heroes with us today in this chamber, New Hampshire hero, Lieutenant Jessica Wyman of Nashua Fire Rescue, and Lieutenant Aaron Cooper of Keene Fire Department, both of whom lost their lives to lung cancer that they developed in the line of duty.
These two brave heroes gave their lives to keep our communities safe. Their families and loved ones deserve to get the benefits that they have earned, and that is why today, Mr. Speaker, I am calling on members of Congress from across America to support bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act. H.R. 1269 is common-sense, long-overdue legislation that I’m proud to co-sponsor, because it will deliver for our first responders and their families.
I want to say today that I am forever grateful to Lieutenant Chris Wyman, a hero in his own right, who is here with us in this chamber today. He has come to Congress to do what we all should hope every American will do to advocate for legislation, for this legislation that we have got to get done in this chamber. There are words behind me, words of New Hampshire’s own Daniel Webster, who called on us to “Do something, to do something worthy to be remembered.”
These heroes, this hero standing before us today, has done so much that is worthy to be remembered and worthy to be honored. But Lieutenant Jessica Wyman, as eloquent as Daniel Webster is, Lieutenant Jessica Wyman lived by a motto that’s even more powerful to me, that resonates even more deeply to me. She lived by the motto, “Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.”
Lieutenant Wyman, thank you from the bottom of my heart for involving me in this cause. It’s a cause that I’m gonna fight for, because it’s a cause that we should all be on board with. It’s honoring American heroes who are the best of our country. By making the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act law, the United States Congress would be doing something worthy of being remembered. And I want to get all of you involved. So with that, I want to say, let’s get this done, this Congress. It’s long overdue.
**Nashua Fire Rescue Lt. Jessica Wyman dedicated her life to serving the people of New Hampshire. In the fall of 2022, Jess became ill and was treated for pneumonia. When treatment throughout the fall failed, a chest CT in early January 2023 revealed she had stage 4 lung cancer that had metastasized to her bones, caused by occupational cancer from her 26 years as a firefighter. Jess bravely underwent chemotherapy and radiation for eleven months, enduring severe pain and spasms in her lower back. Jess lost her battle on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. Under current law, Jess’s family is not able to receive benefits from the PSOB program because the list of accepted injuries does not include occupational cancer. This legislation would extend the program to offer benefits to the families of first responders like Jess. You can read her husband, Chris Wyman’s, full letter to Congress and Jess’s story here.**
**Lieutenant Aaron F. Cooper was a retired and highly regarded professional firefighter. A true public servant and steadfast soul, Aaron served in fire and emergency services for 27 years. His journey in the fire service began at the Fitzwilliam Fire Department in 1997, where he laid the foundation for what would become a distinguished and dedicated career. On Nov. 5, 2001, he joined the Keene Fire Department as a full-time professional firefighter. His commitment to service, leadership, and excellence earned him the rank of Lieutenant in 2016. After more than two decades of unwavering dedication, he retired from Keene Fire Department in May 2024. He died peacefully in his home on June 11, 2025, surrounded by his loved ones after courageously living with occupational-related EGFR+ lung cancer. Learn more about Aaron’s incredible life and legacy here.**
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