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President Donald Trump on Friday signed legislation to automatically pay federal death benefits to the families of first responders who die of the coronavirus.
The measure was sponsored by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. It unanimously passed the U.S. Senate in May and unanimously cleared the House in June.
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The new law removes the requirement that families of police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians have to prove that the first responder was infected while on the job as long as the person was diagnosed with the coronavirus within 45 days of his or her last shift.
“As America grapples with COVID-19, our first responders are putting their lives on the line like never before,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., who had sponsored similar legislation in the House. “Congress and the federal government must continue to support our first responders until this crisis is firmly behind us.”
The House also included the provision in its $3.4 stimulus package, which was not acted on in the Senate. White House officials and congressional Democrats are at odds over the size and scope of a new stimulus bill. Trump has signed a series of executive orders designed to provide some help.
Under the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program, the federal government pays death benefits to survivors of first responders who die in the line of duty or due to a work-related event. The Justice Department program also benefits to those permanently disabled due to their work.
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