The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association is throwing its strong support behind a bipartisan bill designed to make it easier for the families of public safety officers to receive benefits after fatal heart attacks or strokes linked to their service.
The Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Enhancement Act was introduced by U.S. Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ). It seeks to update the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program, which assists surviving families of law enforcement officers, firefighters and other first responders.
Under existing rules, a heart attack or stroke generally must occur within 24 hours of qualifying nonroutine physical activity for a family to qualify for benefits. Surviving relatives are often required to prove that the line-of-duty activity directly caused the fatal medical event, a process that can add significant hardship during an already difficult time.
The new legislation would lengthen the eligibility period from 24 hours to 72 hours. It would also change the claims process so that qualifying heart attacks and strokes are presumed to be service-related unless medical evidence shows otherwise.
“Our nation’s public safety officers deserve the assurance that if they make the ultimate sacrifice, their families will be treated fairly and receive the benefits they deserve,” said Mathew Silverman, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) National President. “The Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Enhancement Act is a commonsense, bipartisan measure that better reflects the realities of line-of-duty service and removes unnecessary barriers for surviving families to receive much-needed benefits, and FLEOA strongly supports its passage.”
The bill was inspired in part by the case of Annette Wilson. Her husband, California Fire Apparatus Engineer Stephen Wilson, died after a medical emergency connected to his service. Despite submitting the required documentation, her claim for PSOB death benefits was denied because Wilson had not sought medical attention within 24 hours of leaving work.
FLEOA says cases like Wilson’s show how a rigid deadline can block grieving families from receiving benefits even when the physical demands of public safety work contributed to the officer’s death.
The organization is urging Congress to pass the measure so that families of fallen public safety officers are not forced to navigate unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles while seeking the support they deserve.
FLEOA represents more than 34,000 registered members across more than 65 federal law enforcement agencies. The group does not endorse political parties or candidates and focuses on advocacy for federal law enforcement through the legislative process.
