Bi-Weekly Update

• Ask Your Member of Congress to Support the Families of our Fallen Firefighters by Urging President Bush to Implement the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act

Ask Your Member of Congress to Support the Families of Our Fallen Firefighters by Urging President Bush to Implement the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act

On May 9th, Congressman Bob Etheridge (NC-2), Senator Patrick Leahy (VT), Congressman Peter King (NY-3), and Senator Arlen Specter (PA) circulated a letter in Congress asking their colleagues to sign onto a letter urging President Bush to force the Department of Justice (DOJ) to implement the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act of 2003.  This legislation, which was unanimously passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law more than three years ago, provides a one-time financial benefit to the survivors of public safety officers who give their lives in the line of duty as a result of a heart attack or stroke.  Unfortunately, as of today, the Department of Justice has only ruled on 40 of the nearly 250 cases submitted under the Hometown Heroes provisions of the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB) program – they have denied 38 of those families the benefit. 

While no amount of money can ease the sorrow of losing a loved one, the United States government should keep it’s commitment to our firefighters, EMS, and law enforcement personnel.  The PSOB was created to make sure those individuals who served their communities, and the nation as a whole, had the piece of mind that their families would be cared for should they be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice.  Please reach out to your members of Congress and urge them to sign the letter to President Bush and support the families of our fallen firefighters.

Click here to view the letter. Contact information for members of Congress are available at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.