NCJ Number
75696
Date Published
1980
Length
166 pages
Annotation
Testimony is presented to the House Subcommittee on Labor Standards on H.R. 5888 and H.R. 5834, which amend title 5 of the United States Code to provide death benefits to the survivors of Federal law enforcement officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty.
Abstract
In 1976, legislation was enacted authorizing LEAA to award $50,000 in death benefits to survivors of State and municipal law enforcement officers and firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty. At that time, the Congress specifically decided not to include Federal law enforcement officials and firefighters because the benefits under the Federal Employees Compensation Act would be available to these survivors. H.R. 5888 and H.R. 5834 would now broaden the $50,000 lump-sum survivor benefit to include the Federal firefighters and law enforcement officers omitted in the 1976 enactment. Those testifying for the bills argue that the bills will make death benefits for Federal, State, and local public safety officers equitable. One witness noted that the Federal Employees Compensation Act bases death benefits on salary, thus discriminating against the lower paid, lower ranking officers, who are generally on the frontline and exposed to the greatest danger. A representative from the Justice Department testified that passage of the bills would duplicate or add greatly to existing death benefits for Federal public safety officers, so that their benefits would greatly exceed those received by State and local employees in similar occupations. Copies of the bills are provided, and written statements and letters are included. For individual testimony, see NCJ 75697-98.