[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 27, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H2316-H2319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER PANDEMIC RESPONSE ACT OF 2020
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 6509) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets
Act of 1968 to provide public safety officer death and disability
benefits for certain public safety officers who contract COVID-19, and
for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6509
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Public Safety Officer
Pandemic Response Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. DEATH AND DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
OFFICERS IMPACTED BY COVID-19.
Section 1201 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets
Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10281) is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
``(o) For purposes of this part:
``(1) COVID-19 (or complications therefrom) shall be
presumed to constitute a personal injury within the meaning
of subsection (a), sustained in the line of duty by a public
safety officer and directly and proximately resulting in
death, in the case of a public safety officer who was
diagnosed with, who received a positive test for, or for whom
evidence indicated that the officer was infected with, COVID-
19, unless such officer was not on duty during the 45-day
period prior to being diagnosed with or having positive test
for COVID-19.
``(2) The Attorney General shall accept claims, including
supplemental claims, under this section from an individual
who--
``(A) was serving as a public safety officer and was
injured or disabled in the line of duty as a result of the
terrorist attacks on the United States that occurred on
September 11, 2001, or in the aftermath of such attacks
developed a condition described in section 3312(a) of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm-22(a)); and
``(B) was diagnosed with COVID-19 during the period
described in paragraph (3), which, in combination with the
injury or disability described in subparagraph (A),
permanently and totally disabled or directly and proximately
resulted in the death of the individual.
In assessing a claim under this paragraph, the presumption of
causation described in paragraph (1) shall apply.
``(3) The presumption described in paragraph (1) and
standard in subsection (p) shall apply with respect to a
diagnosis of COVID-19 (or complications therefrom) beginning
on January 20, 2020, and ending on January 20, 2022.
``(4) The term `COVID-19' means a disease caused by severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
``(p) In determining whether the personal injury under
subsection (b) resulting from COVID-19 (or complications
therefrom) was a catastrophic injury, the Attorney General's
inquiry shall apply the presumption in subsection (o) and be
limited to whether the individual is permanently prevented
from performing any gainful work as a public safety
officer.''.
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' or this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Nadler) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Reschenthaler) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6509, the Public
Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act. I introduced this bill on April
14 in response to the escalating and deadly threat of the COVID-19
virus to our public safety officers, and I am pleased that the House is
considering it today.
H.R. 6509 expands the Public Safety Officers' Benefits program, known
as the PSOB program, to ensure that public safety officers who contract
COVID-19 in the line of duty are eligible for benefits under the
program should they become disabled or should they die from the virus.
Madam Speaker, this bill would accomplish three critical objectives.
First, it establishes that a diagnosis, a positive test, or evidence
of COVID-19 infection shall be presumed to constitute a personal injury
in the line of duty for the purposes of eligibility for the PSOB
program, unless the officer was not on duty in the relevant time
period.
Second, it ensures that officers who were injured or disabled in the
line of duty in relation to the attacks of September 11, 2001, and
whose injuries in combination with a COVID-19 illness rendered them
disabled or caused their death will receive benefits under the PSOB
program.
{time} 2030
And, third, it establishes that the COVID-19-related disability
standard is based on whether a PSOB claimant is permanently prevented
from performing any gainful work as a public safety officer on account
of a COVID-19 diagnosis.
Because of the demands placed on public safety officers during this
crisis, it is important that Congress enact all of these elements.
In seeking to protect and serve their communities in their various
roles, public safety officers willingly undertake risks of harm on a
daily basis. Because of this, we have established the PSOB program to
provide disability and death benefits for them when they are disabled
or die due to line-of-duty injuries.
During the current crisis of COVID-19 contagion, the risks to public
safety officers go well beyond the dangers first responders ordinarily
experience. Police officers, firefighters, and EMTs are often the first
responders that those with COVID-19 encounter.
Current estimates are that nearly 40 percent of COVID-19 carriers are
[[Page H2317]]
asymptomatic. Therefore, for first responders, even ordinary encounters
with members of the community become potentially life-threatening
events.
On top of this, a lack of availability of appropriate personal
protective equipment has unnecessarily exposed thousands of officers to
COVID-19. Despite the additional risks they take on, public safety
officers continue to faithfully execute their jobs and protect us all.
H.R. 6509 acknowledges this by clarifying and expanding certain
aspects of how the existing PSOB program for officers who contract
COVID-19 is applied.
If an officer was on duty during this crisis and contracts this
disease, his or her illness should be considered a line-of-duty injury.
And officers who are disabled due to COVID-19 should be eligible for
disability benefits under a less stringent standard, given the added
risks they undertook during this crisis, particularly because many
officers have not been given appropriate equipment to mitigate their
risk.
We must also address another unique and tragic circumstance. I have
long been a champion of the public safety officers who provided their
service in responding to the deadly 9/11 attacks on our country. In
fact, this bill is modeled on legislation that Congress enacted just
days after 9/11, which I authored, to ensure that public safety
officers who were injured or killed in the line of duty because of 9/11
received the benefits they deserved.
Many first responders lost their lives that day; and in the days and
weeks following the attacks, thousands of public safety officers rushed
in to help the injured and to seek the remains of those who perished.
Numerous studies have sadly shown that, as a result of these attacks,
these public safety officers were exposed to a slew of toxic chemicals
and dust that directly inhibit lung capacity. Therefore, 9/11 public
safety officers are uniquely vulnerable to COVID-19, which attacks a
person's ability to breathe effectively.
H.R. 6509 acknowledges that the service of public safety officers
during and after 9/11 continues to put them at a higher risk of
disability or death. This bill allows those officers who were injured
or disabled in the line of duty in relation to 9/11 and whose injuries,
in combination with COVID-19 illness, rendered them disabled or caused
their death to apply for benefits under the PSOB program.
To date, Congress has upheld its promise to 9/11 first responders
who, on account of their injuries on 9/11, have been tragically
succumbing to cancers and other diseases. Today, we will do so again.
I note that the Sergeants Benevolent Association of the New York City
Police Department wrote to me yesterday expressing strong support for
this bill and citing the importance of including provisions addressing
the 9/11 issue in this legislation.
We have also received letters of support for this bill from the
Fraternal Order of Police and the National Association of Police
Organizations.
I include all of these letters in the Record.
Sergeants Benevolent Association, Police Department, City
of New York,
New York, NY, May 26, 2020.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives, Washington. DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing on behalf of the more
13,000 members of the Sergeants Benevolent Association of the
New York City Police Department to advise you of our strong
support for H.R. 6509, the ``Public Safety Officer Pandemic
Response Act.'' This important legislation will establish a
much needed presumption to enable the Public Safety Officers'
Benefits (PSOB) Program to process death and disability
benefits for our frontline law enforcement officers,
firefighters, and EMTs exposed to COVID-19.
Nearly nineteen years ago, thousands of first responders in
New York and across the country were exposed to a deadly
cocktail of toxins at the sites of the worst terrorist attack
in American history. To date, exposure to those toxins has
claimed the lives of more police officers than died on 9/11
itself. While today we fully recognize the toll suffered by
the rescue and recovery personnel in the months alter 9/11,
that was not always the case. And it required nearly all of
the past nineteen years to fully secure health and
compensation benefits for impacted first responders. The
lessons of the 9/11 health crisis are the historical context
for which you, the SBA, and others are seeking to address
both the actual short-term and potential longterm
consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on public safety
officers. We are unfortunately experiencing the short-term
impact of this disease on the ranks of law enforcement, which
has already claimed the lives of more than 100 officers,
including six from the NYPD. But we do not yet know the long-
term effects COVID-19 will present to those exposed to it.
While the PSOB Program currently covers deaths and
disabilities from ``infectious disease,'' providing evidence
that a disease was contracted in the line of duty is not
always straightforward. In this current pandemic, making the
connection between an officer's death or disability from
COVID-19 and one specific exposure to a carrier of the
disease is likely impossible. H.R. 6509 addresses this issue
by establishing a full presumptive standard for COVID-19-
related death and disability claims for PSOB benefits. It
will also create a similar presumptive standard for those
officers who are suffering from 9/11 health conditions and
are at significantly higher risk from this disease. In so
doing, the ``Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act''
affords Congress the opportunity to be proactive in its
response to the threat COVID-19 poses to the public safety
community and ensures that our nation's heroes are not
subjected to another lengthy battle to obtain the benefits
they are entitled to.
On behalf of the membership of the SBA, thank you for your
leadership on this legislation and your legacy of supporting
positive enhancements to the PSOB Program. Please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Ed Mullins,
President.
____
National Fraternal Order
of Police,
Washington, DC, May 27, 2020.
Hon. Nancy P. Pelosi,
Speaker of the House,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Hon. Kevin O. McCarthy,
Minority Leader,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Madam Speaker and Representative McCarthy: I am
writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of
Police to advise you of our strong support for H.R. 6509, the
``Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act,'' and to urge
the House to pass it.
We knew at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that law
enforcement officers on the front lines combating this
pandemic would be increasingly vulnerable to contracting the
virus. As we had feared, the virus has claimed the lives of
many, and now includes a growing number of law enforcement
officers. As of today, 112 law enforcement officers have died
from COVID-19 related illnesses.
The Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program
provides that the surviving family members of a public safety
officer who contracts an infectious disease in the line of
duty and dies as a result of its contraction are eligible for
the PSOB's death benefit. With the help of the President and
the Attorney General, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
announced on 9 April that a death benefit claim for a COVID-
19 related death will be found by the BJA to have contracted
the disease in the line of duty in most cases. This was a
vitally important issue for our members on the front lines
during this pandemic and this legislation would expand and
codify this presumption.
In addition to the presumption for death benefit claims,
H.R. 6509 would ensure that public safety officers who
contract COVID-19 in the line of duty are eligible for
benefits should they become disabled from the novel
coronavirus. It would establish new standards for disability
claims related to COVID-19 by defining ``catastrophic
injury'' in cases where the injured officer was ``permanently
prevented from performing any gainful work as a public safety
officer.'' At a time of heightened risk from this pandemic,
we believe this is necessary to ensure that these officers
and their families, who are not able to ``stay at home''
during this crisis, will be taken care of in the event they
are disabled and unable to continue to serve as law
enforcement officers.
The legislation also recognizes the unique vulnerability of
officers who were injured or disabled in the line of duty in
relation to the attacks of September 11. 2001, and whose
injuries--in combination with a line-of-duty COVID-19
illness--rendered them disabled or caused their death will be
eligible to receive the death or disability benefits under
the PSOB program.
On behalf of the more than 351,000 members of the Fraternal
Order of Police, I urge the House to pass this measure and
send it to the Senate. If I can be of any further assistance,
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes,
National President.
____
National Association of Police
Organizations, Inc.,
Alexandria, VA, May 26, 2020.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
Chair, Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Nadler: On behalf of the National Association
of Police Organizations (NAPO), representing over 241,000 law
enforcement officers across the United States,
[[Page H2318]]
I am writing to you to express our strong support for the
Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act of 2020 (H.R.
6509).
The PSOB Program was designed to offer peace of mind to men
and women seeking careers in public safety and to make a
strong statement about the value that American Society places
on the contributions of those who serve their communities in
potentially dangerous circumstances, such as the current
coronavirus pandemic. Officers have been protecting our
communities with insufficient personal protective equipment
(PPE), putting themselves at high risk of exposure to this
very communicable disease.
While the PSOB Program does cover line of duty deaths and
disabilities due to infectious diseases, we feel strongly
that COVID-19 is unique and presents its own challenges in
proving line of duty exposure. While with most other
infectious diseases, it is easy to pinpoint the source and
details surrounding the exposure, but this situation is more
difficult with the new coronavirus and its asymptomatic
spread. Every day, we are learning more about COVID-19.
First, it was believed it could only be spread by close human
contact. Now, experts know that it can also be spread through
the air. Individuals can be carriers of COVID-19 without
being symptomatic. Our officers have found themselves in an
extraordinary and dangerous situation over which they have
very little control.
The Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act would
establish that COVID-19 shall be presumed to have been
contracted as a result of the officer's service for the
purposes of PSOB death and disability benefits. It would
create a specific standard for COVID-19-related disability
this is based on whether a PSOB claimant is permanently
prevented from performing any gainful work as a public safety
officer due to their COVID-19 diagnosis. Finally, it would
recognize the physical toll 9/11 related illnesses have had
on first responders by covering under the PSOB Program those
public safety officers whose 9/11 related illness are
compounded by a COVID-19 diagnosis and lead to their death or
disability.
For these reasons, NAPO wholeheartedly supports the Public
Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act and we call on the House
of Representatives to pass this important legislation. If we
can provide any additional information or assistance, please
feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
William J. Johnson,
Executive Director.
Mr. NADLER. I also want to note that, as we work to support our first
responders today, we must also support other essential workers who are
on the front lines of this pandemic, like those in the food and
healthcare industries who are putting their lives at risk each day
during this crisis.
We should ensure that all those who are making the ultimate sacrifice
for their communities, for us, are properly compensated. That work
begins today with supporting our public safety officers with this bill.
I thank my colleagues, Representative Max Rose from New York and
Representative Bill Pascrell from New Jersey, for their support of this
measure from its inception. And I ask my colleagues in the House to
join me in supporting this bill so that we can pass it today.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, America's law enforcement officers, firefighters, and
other first responders are on the front lines of the fight against the
coronavirus. Over 100 public safety officers tragically lost their
lives due to COVID-19, and that number will inevitably continue to
rise.
During this challenging time, it is critical that we ensure our
officers and their loved ones can utilize the Department of Justice's
Public Safety Officers' Benefits program.
The PSOB program was created to aid officers killed or totally
disabled on the job. The program reviews over 1,000 claims submitted
every year and provides one-time payments of roughly $365,000 for
officers who lost their lives or who were totally disabled in the line
of duty. The program also provides monthly education benefits to the
children of these officers.
While nothing can ever replace a loved one, this program gives our
first responders peace of mind, knowing that their families will be
taken care of should the worst happen.
However, to receive benefits under current law, first responders must
prove they contracted COVID-19 while on duty. Both Republicans and
Democrats agree: Congress must amend the PSOB program to create a
presumption allowing officers and their families to receive assistance
without facing this burdensome requirement.
Unfortunately, the majority in the House is delaying these important
benefits. The Senate passed S. 3607, the bipartisan Safeguarding
America's First Responders Act of 2020, and they did this about 2 weeks
ago.
If House Democrats were actually serious about getting these benefits
to public safety officers, we would pass the Senate bill today and send
it to the President to sign into law. Instead, House Democrats are
again engaging in political games, rejecting the Senate's bill and
taking up the House's bill, which includes several problematic
provisions that the Senate will simply not agree to.
I am very disappointed that the Democrat majority would rather play
partisan politics than provide immediate assistance to brave, selfless
men and women who are protecting our communities. However, I agree with
the primary intent of this legislation, and I strongly support our
Nation's dedication to public safety officers.
A few days ago, we honored those who made the ultimate sacrifice
while serving our country in the armed services. It is only right that
we take care of first responders, who are also making sacrifices every
day for this great country.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), one of the authors of this
legislation.
Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I rise for our first responders who are
risking their lives and the lives of their families. They go to work
every day to fight this virus. They need our help.
I am proud to join Chairman Nadler, Congressman Max Rose, and others
in support of the Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act. Our bill
will guarantee first responders receive Public Safety Officer Benefits
if the worst comes to pass, because there have been many delays. We
need clarity so that there is no anxiety about this.
In my district, the Ninth District of New Jersey, we tragically lost
two first responders to COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Israel Tolentino, a firefighter from Passaic, New Jersey, was 33
years old. It was Israel's lifelong dream to be a firefighter. He made
the ultimate sacrifice for our community fighting this pandemic. He
leaves behind his wife and two young children.
And we have lost Frank Scorpo, a police officer from my hometown of
Paterson. I knew the family. He was only 34. He was a beloved member of
the force. He leaves behind his wife and two sons, ages 4 and 6 months.
Another person I want to recognize, who understands and is sensitive
to this, for all the years he served here, is Peter King of New York.
He never, never missed an opportunity to stand up for law enforcement
and their families.
These men are heroes, Scorpo and Tolentino. My heart and your heart
bleeds for our fallen first responders. This bill ensures their
families have some peace of mind that their benefits will be
implemented.
This legislation was part, as you know, of the landmark HEROES Act,
which was passed a week and a half ago. We are passing it again to
underscore its critical importance.
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all first responders across New
Jersey and around the country. We cannot make it to the other side of
this mess without them. I thank them for their service, and God bless
all of them.
Thank you to law enforcement and fire service organizations who
helped draft this legislation. I know they stand strong for their
membership.
I want to recognize Senator Cory Booker and Senator Chuck Grassley
for working to protect our first responders. I know they are serious
about creating this presumption.
I have served as the co-chair of law enforcement in the Congress for
over 16 years. These are our men, these are our women in uniform. We
must get this done. We cannot delay.
Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers at this
time, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Rose), another sponsor of the bill.
[[Page H2319]]
Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Nadler for his
leadership and thank him for working with me on this effort. I also
thank Congressman Pascrell for his extraordinary leadership in this
regard.
I stand in strong support of our bill, the Public Safety Officer
Pandemic Response Act, because when this pandemic came to the United
States, one thing that was never, ever in doubt was that our first
responders would put on their uniforms and they would risk their lives
to keep us safe.
It was never in doubt because whenever there has been a crisis,
whether it came to my city or to our country, they have always rushed
to be our first line of defense. On 9/11, they rushed into the towers.
During Hurricane Sandy, they braved a superstorm. And now, during the
pandemic, they are on the front lines against an invisible enemy that
has claimed more than 100,000 lives nationwide.
Think of the toll this pandemic has taken on our Nation's heroes.
Think of all those who have gone months without seeing their kids,
their spouses, their own parents. Think of those who have gotten sick.
Think of those who have lost their lives.
The very least that Congress can do right now is give our police
officers, our EMTs, our corrections officers, our firefighters, our
public safety officers the peace of mind that, if the worst shall
happen, we will be there for them and their families.
{time} 2045
When this bill becomes law--and it will become law--the family of an
officer who was catastrophically injured or lost their life will not
have to jump through hoops or prove that it was because of the
coronavirus. They won't have to spend 10 years litigating, trying to
convince the government that their sacrifice actually meant something.
Today, we are not cutting red tape; we are stopping the red tape from
happening in the first place. This effort has bipartisan support. And,
nonetheless--and only in Washington, D.C., is this possible--it has yet
to cross the finish line. Our officers cannot afford to wait, cannot
afford to wait for politics. We can't use our cops and our firefighters
as political pawns.
My city has lost nearly a dozen FDNY heroes, over 40 NYPD officers,
and so many more of our brave officers across the United States of
America.
Every Member of Congress loves to take pictures with our first
responders. We love to thank them. We love to rely on them. They
protect our families when we go to Washington, D.C. Well, today is the
day we see who is willing to do more than offer them pretty words on
Facebook. Who is willing to do more than take a selfie?
Today, we see who is willing to help our first responders, like they
wouldn't hesitate to be there for us. God bless you and God bless the
United States of America. Let's be there for our first responders.
Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer strong support
for the Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act and to just take a
little journey down memory lane.
Just 2 days ago we honored the fallen that have sacrificed their
lives for this Nation for our freedom. We could not help many of us who
held Memorial Day ceremonies for the fallen and to acknowledge their
families who at that time, as well, acknowledge the nearing 100,000
mark of those who died from COVID-19.
As a Member of the United States Congress here during 9/11, right
here in this Capitol, watching the billowing smoke from the Pentagon,
hearing about the Trade Center, and of course, about the plane that no
one could find that wound up in Pennsylvania, in all of those
instances, first responders rushed to the scene. They were on the front
lines.
I remember that; heroic actions. But at the same time, I remember, as
a Member of the Homeland Security Committee, the long and arduous
journey, the suffering that these individuals had to go through to
receive ultimate compensation, even just a few months ago, or about a
year ago, reminded of the first responders that were in the Judiciary
Committee pleading again for compensation through the 9/11 bill.
I believe that where we are today is the right direction to get in
front of and to help those who are still on the front lines,
firefighters and techs, law enforcement officers in a variety of
service, they are still there, many of whom started with COVID-19
without the right PPEs, as many of them will tell you. Some who have
already lost their lives. Many that continue to suffer with the
remnants or the effects of COVID-19.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the sponsors and thank the chairman of
the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Nadler. I want to thank Mr. Pascrell and
Mr. Rose for all of the efforts to get in front, to say that the Nation
does care. Because right now, Madam Speaker, as we are on this floor,
there are emergency workers rushing to someone's home to be able to
take them to a medical facility to save their lives, or they may be in
an emergency room right now. So COVID-19 has not ended. That is why we
are wearing masks. COVID-19 has taken 100,000 lives with no end in
sight.
So I rise in support to be able to provide these lifesaving front-
liners the safety net that they need, and the compensation that they
need, in order for us to say more than a thank you, but to acknowledge
and honor them for their service.
Let us hope that we can, as a Nation, follow the instructions of
social distancing, testing, wearing masks, that we can overcome this.
But all the time that we are taking that journey, we will be looking to
these first responders to be on the first line.
Madam Speaker, I thank you for the time, and I ask our colleagues to
support this legislation.
Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Madam Speaker, I am disappointed that we are not taking up the
bipartisan Senate-passed POS bill that had a clean fix to this issue.
So I do want to say, I am disappointed that we are not running the
Senate bill, which again, was bipartisan.
But I do want to say, I support our Nation's first responders, and I
truly believe it is vital that they receive the benefits they have
earned. So I urge my colleagues to support our Nation's public service
officers.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, the COVID-19 crisis in this country has taken many
lives and impacted every community. In our national response, there are
many areas in which we know we must do better and do more to address
the public health emergency and the economic impact on our people.
This bill, which expands an existing program in several important
ways will help address the tragic circumstances of public safety
officers who are disabled by or die from this virus. It is one piece of
the overall effort, but an important one.
Madam Speaker, I, therefore, ask my colleagues to join me in
supporting passage of H.R. 6509 today.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 6509, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________