I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1969 

To increase Federal Pell Grants for the children of fallen police officers, 

firefighters, and other public safety officers. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 14, 2013 

Mr. FITZPATRICK (for himself, Mr. GRIMM, Mr. KEATING, Mr. KING of New 

York, Mr. NUGENT, Mr. PETERS of Michigan, and Ms. SCHWARTZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To increase Federal Pell Grants for the children of fallen 

police officers, firefighters, and other public safety officers. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Children of Fallen He5 roes Scholarship Act of 2013’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The year 2012 was a deadly year for law 

9 enforcement officers, with 126 men and women 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1969 IH

1 killed in the line of duty. That year, 83 firefighters 

2 lost their lives and 21 emergency medical services 

3 providers suffered fatalities in the line of duty. 

4 (2) Congress recognizes the sacrifice of the 

5 families of fallen public safety officers. 

6 (3) The financial loss for a family with children 

7 could be detrimental for decades. 

8 (4) Families who have given the ultimate sac9 rifice deserve the support of the American people as 

10 their children pursue higher education. 

11 SEC. 3. CALCULATION OF FEDERAL PELL GRANT ELIGI12 BILITY. 

13 Section 401(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

14 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(f)) is amended by adding at the end 

15 the following new paragraph: 

16 ‘‘(4)(A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) or any other 

17 provision of this section, the expected family contribution 

18 of each student described in subparagraph (B) shall be 

19 deemed to be zero for the period during which each such 

20 student is eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant under 

21 subsection (c). 

22 ‘‘(B) Subparagraph (A) shall apply to any student 

23 at an institution of higher education— 

24 ‘‘(i) whose parent or guardian— 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1969 IH

1 ‘‘(I) was actively serving as a police officer, 

2 firefighter, or other public safety officer; and 

3 ‘‘(II) died as a result of performing a pub4 lic safety service; and 

5 ‘‘(ii) who was 18 years or less, or was enrolled 

6 as a full-time or part-time student at an institution 

7 of higher education, as of the time of the parent or 

8 guardian’s death. 

9 ‘‘(C) For purposes of this paragraph— 

10 ‘‘(i) the term ‘police officer, firefighter, or other 

11 public safety officer’ means an individual who— 

12 ‘‘(I) is a law enforcement officer or fire13 fighter in a police department or fire depart14 ment which is organized and operated by a 

15 State or political subdivision to provide police 

16 protection, firefighting services, or emergency 

17 medical services for any area within the juris18 diction of such State or political subdivision; 

19 ‘‘(II) is an emergency medical services pro20 vider who provides out-of-hospital emergency 

21 medical care, including an emergency medical 

22 technician or paramedic; or 

23 ‘‘(III) is a member of a qualified volunteer 

24 emergency response organization who provides 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1969 IH

1 firefighting services or emergency medical serv2 ices; and 

3 ‘‘(ii) the term ‘qualified volunteer emergency re4 sponse organization’ means any volunteer organiza5 tion that— 

6 ‘‘(I) is organized and operated to provide 

7 firefighting or emergency medical services for 

8 persons in the State or political subdivision, as 

9 the case may be; and 

10 ‘‘(II) is required (by written agreement) by 

11 the State or political subdivision to furnish fire12 fighting or emergency medical services in such 

13 State or political subdivision.’’. 

14 SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

15 The amendment made by section 3 of this Act shall 

16 apply with respect to Federal Pell Grants awarded for aca17 demic year 2014–2015, and each succeeding academic 

18 year. 

Æ 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS