[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 119 (Thursday, September 13, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9409-S9410]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        PROVIDING FOR THE EXPEDITED PAYMENT OF CERTAIN BENEFITS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of H.R. 2882, just received from the 
House.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 2882) to provide for the expedited payment of 
     certain benefits for a public safety officer who was killed 
     or suffered a catastrophic injury as a direct and proximate 
     result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty in 
     connection with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I commend the Senators from New York for 
their leadership on this legislation to streamline the Public Safety 
Officers' Benefits application process so that the family members of 
fire fighters, emergency medical technicians and rescue workers who 
perished or suffered great injury in the aftermath of the tragic 
terrorist events of this week. I am proud to be an original cosponsor 
of S.1422. I applaud Congressman Nadler and Congressman Sensenbrenner 
for their work on H.R. 2882, which we are passing today.
  Earlier today, I received a call from Congressman Sensenbrenner, 
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who asked me if the Senate 
would consider and pass H.R. 2882 without delay. I thank our leaders, 
Senator Daschle and Senator Lott, for bringing this legislation before 
the Senate so quickly, and urge the Senate to support it.
  We have before us a unique opportunity to provide much-needed relief 
for the families of the brave men and women who sacrificed their own 
lives for their fellow Americans. Senator Clinton and a number of other 
members of the Senate and House have proposed this bill to amend the 
Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act of 1976 for the purpose of 
speeding the process by which the Office of Justice Programs at the 
Department of Justice processes applications for death benefits for 
families of public safety officers killed in the line of duty in New 
York City, Washington, D.C., and Western Pennsylvania, on September 11.
  The Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program provides $150,000 in 
benefits for each of the families of law enforcement officers, firemen, 
emergency response squad members, ambulance crew members who are killed 
in the line of duty. Current regulations, however, require the families 
of public safety officers who have fallen in the line of duty to go 
through a cumbersome and time-consuming application process. In the 
face of this national tragedy, it is important that we begin to process 
quickly this measure of relief for the families of these brave 
Americans who selflessly gave their lives so that others might live 
through the attacks of September 11.

[[Page S9410]]

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read three times, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the 
Record, with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 2882) was read the third time and passed.

                          ____________________