[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11362]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            H.R. 919, HOMETOWN HEROES SURVIVORS BENEFITS ACT

  (Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, as we pause to remember this week our law 
enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice, I rise to 
pay tribute to our Nation's finest. These are our hometown heroes, and 
all they ask is that we provide them with quality equipment and for 
someone to care for their families should tragedy strike.
  Too often the families of public safety officers killed by heart 
attacks or strokes while performing their duties are denied the public 
safety officers benefit that they so richly deserve.
  I have introduced, H.R. 919, the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits 
Act, to right this wrong. This bipartisan piece of legislation will 
provide this benefit to the families of public safety officers who are 
killed by a heart attack or stroke in the line of duty. H.R. 919 has 
163 cosponsors, and it is endorsed by a number of organizations.
  Mr. Speaker, as we observe National Law Enforcement Memorial Week, I 
urge all my colleagues to join me in honoring our law enforcement 
officers and all of our hometown heroes by supporting H.R. 919.

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