Public Safety Officer Protection Act of 2005

The Public Safety Officer Protection Act of 2005 (H.R. 1147) would expand federal benefits for public safety officers, such as police officers and firefighters, who are diagnosed with cancer. Under this bill, if an officer becomes permanently disabled or dies due to cancer, the illness would be legally presumed to have been caused by injuries sustained in the line of duty. This designation would allow these officers or their surviving family members to qualify for federal death and disability benefits that are typically reserved for immediate physical injuries suffered on the job.