IAFC Working to Pass Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefits Act in Congress
Posted Friday, October 11

This is an issue that is gaining steam in the last few days of Congress. The IAFC is pushing hard to get this passed through Congress this year.

Answer the Call for Your Firefighters
Cosponsor H.R. 5334, the Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefits Act

October 10, 2002

Dear Colleague:

Twenty-five years ago Congress created the Public Safety Officer Benefit to provide financial assistance to the families of firefighters, law enforcement officers, paramedics and others who are killed in the line of duty. Unfortunately, the families of public safety officers who die of a heart attack or stroke are too often denied these benefits because of a technicality in the law.

To correct this glitch, I introduced H.R. 5334, the Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefits Act. This bipartisan legislation would provide Public Safety Officer Death Benefits to the families of public safety officers who have died from a heart attack or stroke while on duty or within 24-hours after participating in a training exercise or responding to an emergency situation. I am proud to inform you that H.R. 5334 has been endorsed by a number of the nation's major fire service organizations. I invite you to read the letter of support from these organizations on the reverse of this page.

Our firefighters are truly our hometown heroes. Every day they protect our homes and property from fires and other emergencies, and when we call on them they risk their lives for us. Their families deserve to know they will be cared for if their loved one dies of a heart attack or stroke while performing their duties.

I urge you to answer the call and stand with your firefighters and their families by cosponsoring H.R. 5334 today. Please contact Jake Parker in my office at 5-4531 to cosponsor. I appreciate your support.

Sincerely,

Bob Etheridge
Member of Congress

Cosponsors (84): Abercrombie, Ackerman, Andrews, Baca, Baldwin, Bentsen, Blagojevich, Boehlert, C. Brown, Cardin, Capps, J. Carson, Clay, Conyers, Costello, Coyne, D. Davis, DeLauro, Doyle, Ford, Fossela, Frank, Frost, G. Green, M. Green, Grucci, Hart, Hayes, Hinchey, Holt, Honda, Hoyer, Israel, E.B. Johnson, Tubbs Jones, Kaptur, Keller, Kelly, P. Kennedy, Kilpatrick, King, R. Langevin, Larsen, Lipiniski, LoBiondo, Markey, Mascara, Matheson, C. McCarthy, K. McCarthy, McGovern, McHugh, McIntyre, McNulty, Meehan, Moran, Morella, Norton, Olver, Oberstar, Oxley, Pascrell, Pastor, C. Peterson, Platts, Price, Rangel, Sandlin, Schakowsky, Schiff, Scott, Serrano, Shimkus, Simmons, N. Smith, Strickland, Stupak, Walsh, Watson, Watt, Waxman, C. Weldon, Wilson, Wolf