Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act
Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act
Plain Language Summary
# Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act - Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill would extend federal death and disability benefits to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees who are killed or permanently disabled while performing their duties. Currently, TSA workers are not covered under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program, which provides financial assistance to families of federal law enforcement and emergency responders who die or are seriously injured on the job. **Who It Affects:** The bill directly affects TSA employees and their families.
If passed, families of TSA officers killed in the line of duty would receive cash benefits, and surviving spouses and children would gain access to educational assistance programs. The bill recognizes TSA workers as public safety officers, similar to how the law currently treats federal law enforcement and firefighters. **Current Status:** The bill (HR 1159) was introduced by Representative Julia Brownley (D-CA) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers ActThis bill includes Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees in the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program under certain conditions. Specifically, the bill extends PSOB program death and disability benefits to TSA employees performing official duties related to protecting the nation's transportation systems.As background, the PSOB program provides cash benefits to federal, state, and local law enforcement officers; firefighters; employees of emergency management agencies; and members of emergency medical services agencies who are killed or permanently and totally disabled as the result of personal injuries sustained in the line of duty. PSOB death benefits are payable to the eligible spouse and children of a public safety officer. Further, the Public Safety Officers’ Educational Assistance program, a component of the PSOB program, provides higher-education assistance to the children and spouses of public safety officers who are eligible for PSOB death or disability benefits.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.