Political Quotes

“this is actually a simple amendment. It strengthens the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act. That is the Federal death and disability program that we have for our Nation's first responders who are killed or disabled in the line of duty. There is nothing new to this body in this amendment. An earlier version of this legislation was adopted on the Senate floor by voice vote in December of 2001. It was adopted as part of the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act. In fact, following the Senate's adoption of the amendment, I worked closely with the House Judiciary chairman, the distinguished Member of the House, Congressman Lamar Smith of Texas. He and I added additional reforms so we ended up with an improved bill. We ended up with a modest expansion of benefits for deserving emergency medical responders and a host of reforms to make the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program stronger, more efficient, and more cost-effective. The most important thing, CBO, which initially had concern, reviewed it and found this cost nothing. The CBO recognized the cost savings associated with the reforms and efficiencies that we incorporated and determined that the modest expansion of benefits was fully offset by these reforms. What we are saying, since 1974, this country has recognized that we have first responders who are killed and disabled in the line of duty whose families deserve our help. This bipartisan legislation does that.…”