[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 159 (Wednesday, November 12, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SPECTER (for himself and Mr. Biden):
  S. 1525. A bill to provide financial assistance for higher education 
to the dependents of Federal, State, and local public safety officers 
who are killed or permanently and totally disabled as the result of a 
traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty; to the Committee on the 
Judiciary.


     the public safety officers educational assistance act of 1998

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I seek recognition today to join Senator 
Biden in introducing the Public Safety Officers Educational Assistance 
Act of 1998. The purpose of this bill is to build on legislation we 
passed last Congress and provide education benefits to the families of 
slain or disabled State and local public safety officers.
  Last year, Congress passed the Federal Law Enforcement Dependents 
Assistance Act. This law provides for the education of the spouse and 
dependent children of Federal law enforcement officers who die or are 
totally disabled in the line of duty.
  I was moved to introduce last year's legislation after meeting with 
the widow of Mr. Bill Degan, the U.S. marshal who was killed in the 
tragic incident at Ruby Ridge. Mrs. Karen Degan, his widow, brought to 
my attention the fact that the families of slain Federal law 
enforcement officers were not eligible to receive the educational 
benefits which the Government gives to the families of slain soldiers 
in our armed services. My legislation eliminated this disparity.
  The program we created last year, however, is only available to the 
children of Federal law enforcement officers. Yet the idea behind the 
law applies equally to all public safety officers, Federal, State, or 
local. When someone gives his or her life protecting the safety and 
well-being of the general public, it is the very least we can do to 
ensure that the officer's children and/or spouse can continue on the 
educational path they would have followed had their parent or spouse 
not been killed in the line of duty.
  Today we seek to remedy this disparity between Federal and non-
Federal officers by introducing the Public Safety Officers Educational 
Assistance Act of 1998. This legislation will extend these same 
educational benefits to the dependents of all public safety officers--
Federal, State, county and local law enforcement officers, correctional 
officers, and fire and rescue personnel--who have given their lives in 
the line of duty.
  Under this bill, the Attorney General will administer a program which 
will provide up to $4,485 per child, per year to attend a 4-year 
college. This is the same amount of educational assistance the Federal 
Government provides to the dependents of slain or disabled veterans and 
Federal law enforcement officers. I would note that this program is 
subject to appropriations and does not constitute an entitlement.
  I would prefer that we did not have to worry about death and 
disabling injuries for public safety officials, but it is a fact of 
life that every year there are tragic losses. We are obligated to 
remember the families of those officers who have paid the ultimate 
price to keep our streets and homes safe.
  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, last year the Senate passed the Federal Law 
Enforcement Dependents Assistance Act. A law which provides for the 
education of the spouse and dependent children of Federal law 
enforcement officers who die or are totally disabled in the line of 
duty.
  The purpose of the legislation was to remove a significant financial 
burden from the families of these deceased officers and to allow them 
to continue on the educational path they would have followed had their 
parent or spouse not been killed in the line of duty.
  This fall, several young men and women were able to go to college 
under this program. Unfortunately, this program is only available to 
the children of Federal law enforcement officers.
  Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Public Safety Officers 
Educational Assistance Act of 1998. This legislation will extend these 
same educational benefits to the dependents of all public safety 
officers--Federal, State, county, and local law enforcement officers, 
correctional officers, and fire and rescue personnel--who have given 
their lives in the line of duty.
  Under my bill, the Attorney General will administer a program which 
will provide up to $4,485 per child, per year to attend a 4-year 
college. This is the same amount of educational assistance the Federal 
Government provides to veterans.
  It is critical that we remember the families of those officers who 
have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our streets and homes safe. 
This bill is intended to allow the dependents of public safety officers 
to continue with their education as they would have been able to do had 
their parent not been killed or totally disabled in the line of duty.
  I have long been concerned about the plight of families of public 
safety officers killed in the line of duty--this summer, I introduced 
an amendment to the Budget Reconciliation Act which provides for the 
favorable tax treatment of survivor death benefits paid to the families 
of fallen officers. In that vein, this legislation offers assurance to 
those in the public safety profession--and even to those considering 
service as public safety officers--that their loved ones will be able 
to attain their educational goals in their absence.

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