Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Brownley (D-CA) announced the reintroduction of the Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act, a bill that would extend the same benefits offered to law enforcement officers under the U.S. Department of Justice Public Safety Officer Benefits Program (PSOB) to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers killed in the line of duty.
“TSA officers put their lives on the line every single day to protect millions of Americans as they travel across the country and around the world,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “After the tragic shooting of TSA Officer Gerardo Hernandez at LAX in 2013, I introduced the Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act to ensure the families of fallen TSA officers receive the same benefits as other law enforcement officers who lose their lives in the line of duty. It is unjust that the service of TSA officers, who protect the American public, isn’t adequately recognized or compensated. This bill aims to correct that.”
Background
On November 1, 2013, TSA Officer Gerardo Hernandez became the first TSA officer killed in the line of duty. This tragic event highlighted a significant gap: current law does not provide TSA officers with the same death benefits available to firefighters, police officers, FBI agents, or state troopers.
The Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act seeks to remedy this by amending federal law to extend eligibility for death benefits to TSA officers performing official duties to protect the nation’s transportation systems, ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce.
TSA, with nearly 50,000 security officers, inspectors, air marshals, and managers, plays a critical role in safeguarding the nation’s transportation systems. From screening for explosives at airport checkpoints to patrolling subways and inspecting rail cars, TSA officers are integral to the safety of Americans and the traveling public.
The Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act is supported by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the Air Marshal Association.
Read the full text of the bill, here.
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Issues: 119th Congress, National Security, Transportation and Infrastructure