Texas congressman: Police survivor benefits delay ‘unconscionable’
A Texas congressman says delays in federal benefits for fallen police and fire officials are ‘unacceptable’ and vowed this week to introduce legislation to fix the longstanding problem.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, told KVUE-TV that he’s helped constituents navigate the paperwork-heavy process that promises a one-time $340,000 death benefit for public safety workers killed in the line of duty.
“One of my constituents ... died in a fire and (Thursday) marked the four-year anniversary of his death and his family has yet to receive these benefits and I find that outrageous,” McCaul said, referencing the claim for Travis County constable Kevin Aigner, who died of a brain hemorrhage shortly after helping homeowners devastated by wildfires in 2011.
As of August, 750 survivors had outstanding claims for benefits, backlogged several years, according to a USA TODAY Media Network investigation last week.
McCaul said the agency goal of one-year for a decision on benefits should be more than an aspiration.
“A year should be the outer limit,” McCaul said. “We’re looking at legislation that would mandate the claims be processed within a year. I think it’s tragic that any widow would have to wait that amount of time when their breadwinner has been killed” in the line of duty.
Efforts have gone unfulfilled for years to streamline the process. In 2004, Attorney General John Ashcroft called for the process to be cut to 90 days. The agen- cy says its goal is one year and it’s making progress.
On average, the closed cases since 2009 took 391 days to make a decision and dozens took longer than two years.
The agency that reviews the claims says cases are complex and sometimes bogged down by families and local public safety agencies not providing adequate documentation. The program paid survivors $464 million from 2008 to 2013 for death benefits.
An inspector general audit this summer found the program provides poor instructions to survivors filing claims, including not making it clear to applicants the kinds of documents they needed to submit. The audit also faulted the agency for poor tracking of claims.
“There seems to be no empathy at the federal level for what’s happening in these cases,” McCaul said. “It’s bad enough they lost a loved one in the line of duty, but to not receive the benefits is unconscionable.”
“A year should be the outer limit. ... I think it’s tragic that any widow would have to wait that amount of time when their breadwinner has been killed” in the line of duty.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas