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▲ Good look for MerkleyLabor / Unions

Oregon’s Merkley, Utah’s Curtis propose extending military death benefits to fallen firefighters

Merkley co-introduced a bill to increase death benefits for wildland firefighters’ families.

Oregon’s Merkley, Utah’s Curtis propose extending military death benefits to fallen firefighters
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This article1 analysis · Oct 7, 2026
tl;dr

Sens. Jeff Merkley and John Curtis proposed a bill that would raise death benefits for wildland firefighters’ families and extend eligibility to privately contracted and state and local firefighters. The proposal would increase the maximum federal benefit from $10,000 to as much as $100,000.

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Jeff Merkley D · OR · SEN
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Jeff Merkley
D · OR · SEN

Oregon senator and co-sponsor of the firefighter-benefit bill

PRIMARY SUBJECT
John R. Curtis
R · UT · SEN

Utah senator and co-sponsor of the firefighter-benefit bill

Curtis's version of this story ↗

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Merkley and Curtis Introduce Bill to Extend Benefits to Fallen Firefighters’ Families

Merkley and John Curtis introduced a bill to raise death benefits for wildland firefighters’ families, with the maximum federal benefit proposed to rise from $10,000 to as much as $100,000. Center outlets take a similar, factual approach, emphasizing the proposed benefit increase, with some coverage also noting expanded eligibility.

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