Legislation to Add Healthcare Benefits to PSOB

H.R. 4424: Legislation to Add Healthcare Benefits to PSOB

On November 18, 2005, Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI) introduced legislation, H.R. 4424, which will make family members of public safety officers killed in the line of duty eligible for coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) program.

The Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Act was designed to offer peace of mind to those seeking careers in public safety and to make a strong statement about the value that American society places on the contributions of those who risk their lives to serve and protect their communities. The PSOB not only provides death benefits to the eligible survivors of public safety officers, but also financial assistance for higher education for the spouses and children of federal, state, and local public safety officers.

Adding healthcare coverage as a PSOB benefit is a natural progression of the PSOB program. Having a healthcare benefit through the PSOB will remove a great financial burden from the loved ones of those who gave their lives for the safety of our communities.

NAPO is proud to support H.R. 4424, as part of our on-going commitment to the families of officers who are killed in the line of duty.

Monitoring the Health of those Who Responded to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina

On September 21, 2005, Senators George V. Voinovich (R-OH) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), along with Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) introduced the “Disaster Area Health and Environmental Monitoring Act of 2005,” S. 1741 and H.R. 3850, in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The legislation will provide free medical screenings to first responders, volunteers, and emergency personnel who respond to national disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the September 11 terrorist attacks. It will ensure that first responders and community workers who risk their lives responding to national disasters are provided with information and assistance in receiving treatment so they can maintain, or regain, their good health.

S. 1741 and H.R. 3850 will make certain that there is a system in place that involves informing and protecting responders against possible health impacts, monitoring them over the short and long term, providing medical referrals, and ensuring that this information is used to prevent or protect against future incidents.

Unfortunately, both bills have been sitting idle in committee since their introduction. However, the Senate Committee on Government Affairs and Homeland Security is planning on adding the language of S. 1741 to legislation concerning the response and recovery after Hurricane Katrina. In an effort to ramp up support for the bill, Senator Voinovich has sent out a Dear Colleague letter and is currently seeking addition co-sponsors.

Appointment of 9/11 Health Czar

In addition to this legislation, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Congressman Vito Fossella have been working with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt, to have a veteran health professional assume control of overseeing the monitoring and treatment of first responders and residents who are injured or sick as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Dr. John Howard, Director of the federal National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), was appointed as the 9/11 Health Coordinator to oversee the federal response to Ground Zero health impacts on February 27, 2006.

Dr. Howard’s first task on the job must be ensuring that a thorough and comprehensive medical screening and monitoring program encompassing a large group of first responders and residents is operational. Other responsibilities under Dr. Howard’s new position will include:

Overseeing the distribution of federal funding for programs administered through NIOSH to enhance medical screenings and monitoring programs;

Ensuring that appropriate federal funding is dedicated to treatment; and

Using the expertise of the medical and scientific communities to help develop a plan to help those who are ill from 9/11.

It is believed that tens of thousands of first responders, federal employees and lower Manhattan residents and workers are suffering from health problems likely caused by exposure to toxins at or near the World Trade Center site, including asbestos, lead, mercury, powdered glass and other carcinogens that were stagnating in the air.

H.E.L.P.S. Retirees Act Update (p. 50 of Priorities booklet)

The “HELPS Retirees Act” was introduced by Representatives Chris Chocola (R-IN) and Richard Neal (D-MA) back in May of 2005 and sat in the House Ways and Means Committee until November 9, 2005, when the Committee voted to included it in H.R. 2830, the “Pension Protection Act of 2005.”

The “HELPS Retirees Act” will allow retired public safety officers to use up to $5,000 annually from their pension funds, including defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans, to pay for qualified health insurance premiums without taxing these distributions (excluded from gross income).

The House passed H.R. 2830 on December 15, 2005, with the language of the “HELPS Retirees Act” included as Section 1003 in Title X. The Senate passed its pension overhaul bill, S. 1783 on November 16, 2005. The bills are expected to go into conference negotiations the week of March 13, and NAPO is working to ensure that the “HELPS Retirees Act” language is included in the final conference report.

Internet Police Protection Act Update (p. 47 of Priorities booklet)

Back in January of 2005, NAPO approached Congressman Weiner with the concern, shared by many of our members, regarding personal information about police officers and their families being accessible to the public on the internet, including names and addresses. The posting of personal information about cops could easily be used to intimidate the officers and perhaps endanger their families. It is important to prohibit the public publication of personal information about police officers, as well as other law enforcement and justice officials.

Working with NAPO, Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) developed the “Internet Police Officers Protection Act” and introduced it in the House on April 19, 2005.

On October 27, 2005, Congressman Weiner successfully added the “Internet Police Officers Protection Act” to H.R. 1751, the “Secure Access to Justice and Court Protection Act of 2005” during the markup of the bill in the House Judiciary Committee. On November 9, 2005, H.R. 1751 passed the House by a vote of 375-45.

On December 8, 2005, Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee folded H.R. 1751, including the language of the “Internet Police Officers Protection Act,” into his “Children’s Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act of 2005,” H.R. 4472.

H.R. 4472 is an all encompassing criminal justice bill that also includes: imposing new registration requirements and stiffer penalties for sex offenders and those who participate in gang violence, as well as imposing new maximum penalties, including the federal death penalty, for those who murder or attempt to murder on-duty law enforcement officers.

The House voted on and passed H.R. 4472 on March 8, 2006. Chairman Sensenbrenner’s staff is optimistic that the legislation will be passed in the Senate because of compromises the Congressman has made, such as stripping some of the mandatory minimum jail times, to smooth the way toward enactment in the Senate.

The Sergeant Henry Prendes Memorial Act

On February 8, 2006, Congressman Jon C. Porter (R-NV) introduced legislation that will strengthen the penalties for individuals who kill or attempt to kill a public safety officer while that officer is performing official duties.

The “Sergeant Henry Prendes Memorial Act of 2006,” H.R. 4732, amends Chapter 51 of Title 18, United States Code, to punish those offenders by a fine under this title and imprisonment for no less than 30 years to life, with the death penalty being an option if the officer’s death is a result of the assault.

Under current law, it is a crime to kill federal law enforcement officers and peace officers engaged in a federal crime investigation. H.R. 4732 will add to the current law by creating new maximum penalties, including the federal death penalty, for assaulting or killing federally-funded state and local law enforcement officers.

On March 7, Congressman F. James Sensenbrener, Jr., Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, included the language of the “Sergeant Henry Prendes Memorial Act” into his crime bill, the “Secure Access to Justice and Court Protection Act of 2005,” H.R. 4472, under Title VII, Section 1123. As mentioned before, H.R. 4472 passed the House on March 8, 2006.

NAPO has been working with Congress for a long time to improve the current law by developing harsher penalties for those who murder or attempt to murder law enforcement officers. We whole-heartedly support Congressman Porter in his efforts to protect the lives of this nation’s public safety officers.