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As you may have read, the president’s proposed 2010 federal
budget lowers the estimated costs of the federal Public Safety Officers
Benefit (“PSOB”) program from $110 million a year to $60 million
a year.
THIS IS ONLY THEIR ESTIMATE OF WHAT THE PROGRAM WILL COST IN 2010. THE FEDERAL DEATH BENEFIT FOR OFFICERS KILLED
IN THE LINE OF DUTY IS
NOT BEING REDUCED!!
By law, the monetary benefit that the program provides to the
survivors of officers killed in the line of duty is $315,746 (for
deaths on or after October 1, 2008).
By law, this amount is indexed for inflation, so it is actually
expected to GO UP later
this year, October 1, 2009. This amount
is also the benefit for officers who were not killed, but suffered
catastrophic injury in the line of duty.
Because these amounts are set by pre-existing law passed
by Congress, the budget estimate does not affect them. These
statutory amounts remain the same.
Now what happens if the president’s budget estimate is wrong,
and more families than anticipated are entitled to this benefit? They will still be entitled, and Congress will
appropriate additional money beyond the estimate.
NAPO has been one of the strongest supporters
of the PSOB program from day one.
We led the battle to establish the benefit in the first place,
to increase the benefits amount, to make it tax-free, and to index
it for inflation. Suffice
it to say that we will always remain fully committed to ensuring
the protection of the survivors of our fallen brother and sister
officers. We will never,
ever stand by idly in the face of threats to this or any similar
program. Please contact our
Washington office with any questions or concerns
about this issue.
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