U.S. Capitol aftermath: Bill extends benefits to officers who suffer from trauma on job

Law enforcement officers who serve on the front lines and suffer from PTSD will now be entitled to disability benefits after the U.S. Senate passed a bill by unanimous vote to expand benefits to officers and their families.

The Public Officer Support Act also expands death benefits to families when an officer dies by suicide as a result of service-related trauma.

The bill already passed the U.S. House in May. It will now go to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.

The bill amends the federal Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program, or PSOB, to add coverage for first responders who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or acute stress disorder following a stressful situation while on duty.

“Our law enforcement officers serve on the front lines of events that can inflict severe emotional trauma – from mass shootings to protecting the United States Capitol during a violent insurrection,” said Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA-08), the founder and co-chair of the House suicide prevention task force. “This bipartisan bill would ensure officers suffering from work-related PTSD are offered the same benefits as those suffering from a physical injury, in addition to providing surviving family members of officers who died by suicide with PSOB death or disability benefits.”

Beyer represents many of the officers who defended the Capitol on January 6th, 2021, including officer Jeffrey Smith who died by suicide days after responding to the attack on the Capitol. His widow, Erin Smith, has advocated with Beyer for the passage of this bill. The D.C. Police and Firefighters’ Retirement and Relief Board ruled earlier this year that Smith’s injury was sustained “while performing his duties” and “was the sole and direct cause of his death.”

With this bill, other officers responding to the U.S. Capitol insurrection, or any other traumatic event, should receive the same ruling.

The bill’s text includes language that its provisions “shall apply to any action taken by a public safety officer that occurred on or after January 1, 2019,” which will effectively apply coverage to all officers who responded to the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021.