The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1998” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Senate section on pages S4931 on May 15, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1998
Mr. ALLARD. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of calendar 359, S. 1525.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The clerk will report.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 1525) to provide financial assistance for higher education to the dependents of Federal, State, and local public safety officers who are killed or permanently and totally disabled as the result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection to the immediate consideration of the bill?
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the bill be considered read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill appear at this point in the Record.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill (S. 1525) was deemed read the third time, and passed, as follows:
S. 1525
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 Officers Educational Assistance Act of 1998''.
SEC. 2. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION TO
DEPENDENTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS KILLED OR
PERMANENTLY AND TOTALLY DISABLED IN THE LINE OF
DUTY.
Part L of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in the heading for subpart 2, by striking ``Civilian Federal Law Enforcement'' and inserting ``Public Safety'';
(2) in section 1211(1), by striking ``civilian Federal law enforcement'' and inserting ``public safety'';
(3) in section 1212(a)(1)(A), by striking ``Federal law enforcement'' and inserting ``public safety'';
(4) in section 1216(a), by inserting ``and each dependent of a public safety officer killed in the line of duty on or after October 1, 1997,'' after ``1992,''; and
(5) in section 1217--
(A) by striking paragraph (2); and
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (6) as paragraphs
(2) and (3), respectively.
Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, I am pleased that the Senate has passed S. 1525, the ``Public Safety Officers Educational Assistance Act of 1998.''
Last congress, the Senate passed the ``Federal Law Enforcement Dependents Assistance Act''--led by Senators Specter and Kohl and co-
sponsored by myself and nearly every member of the Judiciary Committee. This law provides for the education of the spouse and dependent children of federal law enforcement officers who die or are totally disabled in the line of duty.
The purpose of the legislation was to remove a significant financial burden from the families of these deceased officers and to allow them to continue on the educational path they would have followed had their parent or spouse not been killed in the line of duty.
Last fall, about 30 young men and women were able to go to college under this program. Unfortunately, this program is only available to the children of federal law enforcement officers.
The Public Safety Officers Educational Assistance Act, which Senator Specter and I introduced last year, extends these same educational benefits to the dependents of all public safety officers--in other words, not just federal--but also state, county and local law enforcement officers, and fire and rescue personnel--who have given their lives in the line of duty.
Under this bill, the Attorney General will administer a program which will provide up to $4,485 per child, per year to attend a 4-year college. This is the same amount of educational assistance the federal government provides to veterans.
The Justice Department estimates the total cost for this year to be about $300,000. What is more, the Justice Department already has the funds to pay for this $300,000 within their current budget--so we will not need any additional appropriations.
It is critical that we remember the families of those officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our streets and homes safe. This bill is intended to allow the dependents of public safety officers to continue with their education as they would have been able to do had their parent not been killed or totally disabled in the line of duty.
____________________
