United States · Law · S
S. 1511 (117th)
Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021
Introduced
29 April 2021
Last action
18 November 2021 · Became law
Status
Became Public Law No: 117-61.
Sponsors
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA], Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN], Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI], Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT], Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC], Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT], Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL], Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV], Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH], Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
Subjects
Education
Source updated
10 August 2026
Summary
Protecting America's First Responders Act of 2021 This bill makes changes to the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who are killed in the line of duty or permanently disabled as a result of catastrophic injuries sustained in the line of duty. Among the changes, the bill expands the public safety officers eligible for coverage under the PSOB program to include firefighters whose primary duty during an emergency response is to secure the scene or manage traffic and cadets or trainees in candidate-officer training; extends coverage under the PSOB program to certain public safety officers responding outside their jurisdiction; increases the interim benefit amount payable on a claim for death benefits and requires the interim amount to be adjusted annually for inflation; increases the benefit amount payable on a death or disability claim that has been pending for more than 365 days on the date of the final determination; allows the Department of Justice (DOJ) to use investigative tools, including subpoenas, to expedite the processing of claims and obtain information or documentation from third parties (e.g., public agencies); specifies that an injury resulting from a neurocognitive disorder qualifies as a catastrophic injury for the purposes of disability benefits; requires (currently, authorizes) DOJ to provide retroactive education benefits to qualifying children and spouses; specifies that hearing officers appointed to review claims are special government employees (i.e., employees who perform temporary duties for a limited period of time) and are authorized to conduct examinations; and allows responders to the World Trade Center or their surviving family members to file claims for death or disability benefits in certain circumstances.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
29 April 2021
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
29 April 2021
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
13 May 2021
Reported
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Source: Committee
10 June 2021
Floor
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S4499-4501)
Source: Floor
10 June 2021
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S4499-4501)
Source: Floor
10 June 2021
Discharge
Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Source: Discharge
10 June 2021
Committee
Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Source: Committee
14 June 2021
Floor
Received in the House.
Source: Floor
14 June 2021
Floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Source: Floor
14 June 2021
Floor
Held at the desk.
Source: Floor
27 October 2021
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
27 October 2021
Vote
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 420 - 3 (Roll no. 338). (text: CR H5948-5950)
Source: Floor
27 October 2021
Vote
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 420 - 3 (Roll no. 338).(text: CR H5948-5950)
Source: Floor
27 October 2021
Floor
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5948-5953)
Source: Floor
27 October 2021
Vote
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Source: Floor
27 October 2021
Floor
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1511.
Source: Floor
27 October 2021
Floor
Ms. Jackson Lee moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Source: Floor
28 October 2021
Floor
Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
Source: Floor
4 November 2021
Passed
Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 1511 by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8054)
Source: ResolvingDifferences
4 November 2021
Passed
Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 1511 by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S8054)
Source: NotUsed
8 November 2021
Floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Source: Floor
16 November 2021
Floor
Presented to President.
Source: Floor
16 November 2021
President
Presented to President.
Source: President
18 November 2021
President
Signed by President.
Source: President
18 November 2021
Became law
Became Public Law No: 117-61.
Source: President
18 November 2021
Became law
Signed by President.
Source: BecameLaw
Votes
27 October 2021 · passed · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · Passed · Official source
Yes 420 · No 3 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 8
- Rep. Ferguson, A. Drew, IV [R-GA-3]Yea
- Rep. McEachin, A. Donald [D-VA-4]Yea
- Rep. Spanberger, Abigail Davis [D-VA-7]Yea
- Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]Not Voting
Showing the first 4 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.
Versions
- Enrolled Bill · — · Download file
- Public Law · 19 November 2021 · Download file
- Engrossed Amendment House · 27 October 2021 · Download file
- Engrossed in Senate · 10 June 2021 · Download file
- Introduced in Senate · 29 April 2021 · Download file
Documents
15 official files
Enrolled Bill (text)
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Enrolled Bill (text)
Enrolled Bill · EN
Enrolled Bill (PDF)
Enrolled Bill · EN
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Public Law (text)
Public Law · EN · 19 November 2021
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Public Law (PDF)
Public Law · EN · 19 November 2021
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Public Law
summary · EN · 18 November 2021
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Senate agreed to House amendment
summary · EN · 4 November 2021
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Engrossed Amendment House (text)
Engrossed Amendment House · EN · 27 October 2021
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Engrossed Amendment House (PDF)
Engrossed Amendment House · EN · 27 October 2021
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Passed House
summary · EN · 27 October 2021
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Engrossed in Senate (text)
Engrossed in Senate · EN · 10 June 2021
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Engrossed in Senate (PDF)
Engrossed in Senate · EN · 10 June 2021
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Passed Senate
summary · EN · 10 June 2021
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Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 29 April 2021
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Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 29 April 2021
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Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 29 April 2021
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Sponsors
- Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] · R · Cosponsor
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA] · D · Cosponsor
- · ssju00 · Standing
Related records
- related to → Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021
- amends ← To improve the bill.
Related across the Repo ecosystem
Direct relationships are identifier-backed. Topic context means shared TopicMembership — not a citation and not causation.
Direct relationships
- Legal framework · Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021 · S. 1511 (117th) · US
- Identifier matchPROJECTS_FROM
Same us record 117-s-1511 projected from PoliticalRepo US row.
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1511
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/117/s/1511
- us · 117-s-1511 · source updated 10 August 2026