I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7031 
To extend public safety officer death benefits to public safety officers whose 
death is caused by COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 27, 2020 
Mr. JOYCE of Ohio (for himself, Ms. FUDGE, and Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary 
A BILL 
To extend public safety officer death benefits to public safety 
officers whose death is caused by COVID–19, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safeguarding Amer-
ica’s First Responders Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS; PURPOSE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
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(1) an infectious disease pandemic known as 
COVID–19 exists; 
(2) to date, there is much still unknown about 
COVID–19, but it is known that COVID–19 and re-
lated complications may be fatal; 
(3) services provided by public safety officers 
are nonetheless essential during this pandemic; 
(4) due to the COVID–19 pandemic and what 
is currently known about how the disease is spread, 
public safety officers are uncharacteristically at risk 
of contracting the disease; and 
(5) although the Public Safety Officers’ Bene-
fits program currently covers deaths and permanent 
and total disabilities resulting from infectious dis-
ease sustained by public safety officers in carrying 
out their duties, the determination of claims involv-
ing personal injuries believed to have resulted from 
COVID–19 or its complications may be uniquely 
challenging or delayed given the lack of— 
(A) definitive testing and medical records 
at this time; and 
(B) a definitive uniform body of medical 
information about how the disease is spread or 
its effects. 
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(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to estab-
lish a carefully drawn framework wherein claims under the 
Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program, arising under 
the unique circumstances described in subsection (a), can 
be processed expeditiously and under fair and clear stand-
ards. 
SEC. 3. PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER BENEFITS. 
(a) DEATH BENEFITS.—As determined by the Bu-
reau of Justice Assistance, unless competent medical evi-
dence establishes that the death of a public safety officer 
(as defined in section 1204 of title I of the Omnibus Crime 
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10284)) 
was directly and proximately caused by something other 
than COVID–19, COVID–19 (or complications therefrom) 
suffered by the public safety officer shall be presumed to 
constitute a personal injury within the meaning of section 
1201(a) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10281(a)), sustained in 
the line of duty by the officer and directly and proximately 
resulting in death, if— 
(1) the officer engaged in a line of duty action 
or activity between January 1, 2020, and December 
31, 2021; 
(2) the officer was diagnosed with COVID–19 
(or evidence indicates that the officer had COVID– 
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19) during the 45-day period beginning on the last 
day of duty of the officer; and 
(3) evidence indicates that the officer had 
COVID–19 (or complications therefrom) at the time 
of the officer’s death. 
(b) DISABILITY BENEFITS.—As determined by the 
Bureau of Justice Assistance, COVID–19 (or complica-
tions therefrom) suffered by a public safety officer shall 
be presumed to constitute a personal injury within the 
meaning of section 1201(b) of title I of the Omnibus 
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 
10281(b)), sustained in the line of duty by the officer, if— 
(1) the officer engaged in a line of duty action 
or activity between January 1, 2020, and December 
31, 2021; and 
(2) the officer was diagnosed with COVID–19 
(or evidence indicates that the officer had COVID– 
19) during the 45-day period beginning on the last 
day of duty of the officer. 
Æ 
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