119th Congress Crime and Law Enforcement
S. 3897: Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program Expansion Act of 2026
Passed Senate
- Introduced (completed)
- Passed Senate (completed)
- Passed House (not reached)
- To the President (not reached)
- Became law (not reached)
Summary
This bill establishes processing timelines and expands claims assistance, outreach, and reporting requirements pertaining to claims for benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty and their survivors.
This bill requires the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to notify a claimant of any missing information required to process a claim within 90 days of receiving the claim and generally requires the BJA to determine eligibility within 270 days of a completed claim.
In addition, the bill requires the BJA to use its subpoena authority to obtain information or documentation that is necessary to adjudicate a claim if a public agency fails to provide it 30 days after a request.
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Under the bill, the BJA must conduct ongoing outreach to promote awareness of the PSOB program. The BJA must also report on whether a delay in processing a claim was due to the inaction of the claimant or the public agency from which information is required.
The bill requires the BJA to implement the recommendations of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in the 2024 report, Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program: Transparency, Claims Assistance, and Program Management Improvements Needed.
Finally, the GAO must conduct an annual audit of PSOB claims that have been pending for more than one year.
Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Roll calls
No roll call votes have been held on this bill.
Amendments
Showing 1 of 1 amendments
- S.Amdt. 6764Kirsten Gillibrand D-NYAgreedAug 7, 2026Aug 7, 2026: Amendment SA 6764 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Cosponsors
- Ted Cruz R-TXOriginal
- Christopher Coons D-DE
- Jeanne Shaheen D-NH
- Lindsey Graham R-SC
- Richard Durbin D-IL
- Richard Blumenthal D-CT
- Cory Booker D-NJ
- Mazie Hirono D-HI
- Amy Klobuchar D-MN
- Alejandro Padilla D-CA
- Thom Tillis R-NC
- Peter Welch D-VT
- Susan Collins R-ME
- Jeff Merkley D-OR
Who scored on this bill
- 1Kirsten Gillibrand SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced, reported, passed Senate; 1 amendment offered, 1 agreed6 events+78
- 2Richard BlumenthalCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
- 2Cory BookerCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
- 2Susan CollinsCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
- 2Christopher CoonsCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
See all scorers and every scoring event
Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.
Other bills by Kirsten Gillibrand
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History
- Passed the Senate with an amendment by unanimous consent.
- Introduced in the Senate by Kirsten Gillibrand.
Show the full action history (14 actions)
- Received in the House.
- Held at the desk.
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S4549-4550)
- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S4550)
- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 416.
- Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Introduced in Senate
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.