S.Amdt. 5998

This amendment, known as the Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program Expansion Act of 2026, aims to expand and improve the Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program by adding new requirements for how claims are handled and processed.

Key changes and additions include:

• Claim Processing and Timelines: It requires the Bureau to notify claimants of missing information within 90 calendar days and provide a final eligibility determination within 270 calendar days after receiving all required information.

• Interim Benefits: If the Bureau fails to make a determination within 270 calendar days, a single interim benefit payment must be issued to undisputed beneficiaries or placed in an escrow/fiduciary account.

• Accountability and Oversight: The amendment requires the Comptroller General to conduct annual audits of claims pending for more than one year. It also requires the Bureau to submit summaries of backlogged claims to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.

• Agency Requirements: The Bureau must issue a subpoena to public agencies that fail to provide necessary documentation within 30 days of a request, unless an extension of up to 60 days is approved.

• Outreach and Implementation: The Bureau must conduct ongoing outreach to public safety officers and underserved agencies. Additionally, the Attorney General must ensure the implementation of specific GAO recommendations regarding transparency and program management within 180 days of enactment.

• Expedited Payments: The Bureau shall approve claims if the World Trade Center Health Program or the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund provides certification of eligibility or a related cause of death, unless there is clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.

• Definitions: The amendment adds a definition for gainful work and corrects the spelling of paraplegic.