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Congressional Fire Services Institute

Educating Members of Congress About Fire & Life Safety Issues Since 1989
35th Annual Dinner & Symposium

February 12-13, 2025

Protecting America’s First Responders Act

Status:

Summary:
The bill expands the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program and makes certain changes to allow the program to function in an improved manner.
Background:
  • Among the provisions, the bill specifies that public safety officers – including firefighters – who have suffered catastrophic injuries may continue to be employed as long as the employment meets certain criteria, such as minimal compensation, or work done for therapeutic purposes.
  • The bill retroactively extends the updated disability provision to personnel who responded to the 9/11 attacks.
  • The bill also expands eligibility to include public safety officers who were not previously covered, like fire-police; ties certain benefit amounts to when the ruling is made, not when the claim was filed; makes adjustments to the education benefit for dependents; and doubles the interim death payment from $3,000 to $6,000 and links it to the Consumer Price Index for adjustments.
  • In addition, the bill includes an extension of COVID-19 presumption, whereby a public safety officer who dies or is injured after contracting COVID-19 (within certain limits) is considered to have contracted the illness on the job and therefore is eligible for PSOB benefits.

More information on the PSOB program can be found on the Bureau of Justice Assistance website.

Status:
The legislation became law in the 117th Congress (P.L.117-61).

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About CFSI

Established in 1989 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy institute, CFSI is designed to educate members of Congress about the needs and challenges of our nation’s fire and emergency services so that the federal government provides the types of training and funding needed by our first responders.

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