Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021
Latest action · Nov 18, 2021 Became Public Law No: 117-61.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedApr 29, 2021
- Passed SenateJun 10, 2021
- Passed HouseOct 27, 2021
- To the PresidentNov 16, 2021
- Became lawNov 18, 2021
Summary
Protecting America's First Responders Act of 2021
This bill makes changes to the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who are killed in the line of duty or permanently disabled as a result of catastrophic injuries sustained in the line of duty.
Among the changes, the bill
- expands the public safety officers eligible for coverage under the PSOB program to include firefighters whose primary duty during an emergency response is to secure the scene or manage traffic and cadets or trainees in candidate-officer training;
- extends coverage under the PSOB program to certain public safety officers responding outside their jurisdiction;
- increases the interim benefit amount payable on a claim for death benefits and requires the interim amount to be adjusted annually for inflation;
- increases the benefit amount payable on a death or disability claim that has been pending for more than 365 days on the date of the final determination;
- allows the Department of Justice (DOJ) to use investigative tools, including subpoenas, to expedite the processing of claims and obtain information or documentation from third parties (e.g., public agencies);
- specifies that an injury resulting from a neurocognitive disorder qualifies as a catastrophic injury for the purposes of disability benefits;
- requires (currently, authorizes) DOJ to provide retroactive education benefits to qualifying children and spouses;
- specifies that hearing officers appointed to review claims are special government employees (i.e., employees who perform temporary duties for a limited period of time) and are authorized to conduct examinations;
- allows responders to the World Trade Center or their surviving family members to file claims for death or disability benefits in certain circumstances; and
- extends the period during which public safety officers who die or become injured as a result of COVID-19 are eligible for benefits.
Recorded votes 1
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 338 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended | Passed420–3 | Oct 27, 2021 |
Cosponsors 18
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Apr 29, 2021 to Sep 13, 2021, with 10 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-MN | Amy Klobuchar | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| D-MT | Jon Tester | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| D-NY | Kirsten E. Gillibrand | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| R-TN | Marsha Blackburn | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| D-HI | Mazie K. Hirono | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| R-ID | Mike Crapo | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| D-CT | Richard Blumenthal | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| D-RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| R-MT | Steve Daines | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| R-NC | Thom Tillis | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| D-VT | Patrick J. Leahy | May 10, 2021 | |
| D-DE | Christopher A. Coons | May 11, 2021 | |
| R-TX | Ted Cruz | May 12, 2021 | |
| D-NJ | Cory A. Booker | May 13, 2021 | |
| D-IL | Richard J. Durbin | May 13, 2021 |
Actions 25
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Nov 18, 2021Became Public Law No: 117-61.
- Nov 18, 2021Signed by President.
- Nov 16, 2021Presented to President.
- Nov 8, 2021Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Nov 4, 2021Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 1511 by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S8054)
Amendments 1
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA 2118 | To improve the bill. | Chuck Grassley R-IA | Amendment SA 2118 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent. |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 2936 | Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021 | Identical bill | Nov 9, 2021 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.
- Administrative remedies
- Cardiovascular and respiratory health
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Department of Justice
- Disability and paralysis
- Disability assistance
- Emergency medical services and trauma care
- Employee benefits and pensions
- Fires
- First responders and emergency personnel
- Health personnel
- Infectious and parasitic diseases
- Law enforcement officers
- Neurological disorders
- New York City
- Terrorism
- Worker safety and health
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- —Enrolled Bill
- Oct 27, 2021Engrossed Amendment House
- Jun 10, 2021Engrossed in Senate
- Apr 29, 2021Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.