[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 21, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H4013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 MEMORIALIZING POLICE OFFICERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Ruiz) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today in the wake of National Police 
Week to memorialize our officers who lost their lives in the line of 
duty.
  Nearly 3 years ago, on October 8, 2016, Officers Lesley Zerebny and 
Gil Vega from the Palm Springs Police Department were shot and killed 
in the line of duty responding to what appeared to be a routine 
domestic disturbance.
  Through this tragedy, our community came together, not only to 
remember Officers Zerebny and Vega, but to do more for their families 
and the entire law enforcement community.
  Together, we found that families of fallen first responders, those 
who gave their all to protect us all, are being shortchanged. That is 
why I introduced the Heroes Lesley Zerebny and Gil Vega First Responder 
Survivor Support Act, to honor those who have passed by serving the 
living.
  My bill will increase the Public Safety Officer Benefit from $350,000 
to $500,000 in order to pay off the calculated national average debt 
most families have; it will increase the monthly education benefit from 
$1,024 per month to $2,000 per month to ensure they can afford the 
actual rising costs of an education; and it will fix a bureaucratic 
loophole that, due to unnecessary red tape and delays in receiving 
benefits, can cost families up to tens of thousands of dollars through 
no fault of their own.
  I urge all Members of Congress to do the right thing: to follow words 
with action, to follow praise with pragmatic solutions that will 
improve the lives of fallen first responders' families. I hope that all 
Members will cosponsor and support my bipartisan Heroes Lesley Zerebny 
and Gil Vega First Responder Survivors Support Act.
  I urge the Speaker to bring it up for a vote immediately. Let's 
support this bill and stand up for the families of fallen officers who 
have sacrificed so much for us.

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