Senator Cassidy Receives Statewide Fire Fighters Endorsement, Honored for Dedicated Service

Baton Rouge, LA — Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today participated in a robust conversation with members of the Louisiana Professional Fire Fighters Association ahead of receiving the organization’s official endorsement and a distinguished award at their Annual Legislative Seminar in Baton Rouge.

Senator Cassidy met with fire fighters from across Louisiana to hear firsthand about the challenges they face and discuss ongoing efforts to ensure they have the resources needed to protect their communities.

At the seminar, the Louisiana Professional Fire Fighters Association formally endorsed Senator Cassidy and presented him with an award recognizing his outstanding and dedicated service to the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana.

Senator Cassidy was honored for his work in Washington delivering critical resources for Louisiana fire fighters and their communities, as well as for his leadership in securing the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) – a long-overdue victory for Louisiana’s public servants.

Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana President Chad Major released the following statement:

“Senator Bill Cassidy has consistently stood with Louisiana’s firefighters and the communities we serve. He understands the challenges our firefighters face and has worked to support the resources, training, and infrastructure that help us do our jobs safely and effectively. 

Senator Cassidy also worked to fix the unfair WEP and GPO penalties that impacted many of our members and their spouses. We appreciate his commitment to Louisiana’s first responders and are proud to unanimously endorse Senator Cassidy for re-election.”

Senator Bill Cassidy issued the following statement in response to the endorsement:

“Louisiana’s firefighters run toward danger every day to protect our families, homes, and communities. They deserve the tools, training, and equipment necessary to keep themselves, and those they serve, safe. I’ve worked to deliver those resources. I’m honored to have the endorsement of the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana.”

Background:

• In a letter and video, Chad Major, Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana, reiterated his organization's support of Senator Cassidy.  

• Senator Cassidy led efforts to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). Following the repeal, nearly 94,000 Louisianans have already received over $669 million in retroactive payments.

• Recently, Senator Cassidy secured $4.9 million for fire departments and emergency responders across Louisiana through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The funding will help departments purchase equipment, upgrade protective gear, improve training, and acquire emergency vehicles.

• In 2024, Senator Cassidy cosponsored the Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator, and Responder (HELPER) Act, which then-President of the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association, Deputy Fire Chief Skip Pinkston, expressed support for and praised Senator Cassidy for his dedication to firefighters across Louisiana.

• During his first term as senator, Dr. Cassidy delivered over $1.5 million in federal grant funding to ensure fire departments have the resources and equipment they need to serve their communities.

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