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WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has joined a bipartisan push to aid the children of fallen first responders, reintroducing legislation that would increase the amount of Pell Grant money for qualifying students who need college aid.
Collins is joined by Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.; Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind. The Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act increases the amount of Pell grant money available to qualifying students who are the children of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS workers, and fire police. If the student qualifies for Pell grant aid, the legislation would allow that student to be treated as if his or her expected family contribution for financial aid was zero, making the student eligible for the maximum Pell grant award authorized by law, currently $5,815 per year for a full-time student, according to a news release from Collins’ office.
“Our nation’s local first responders are always there to answer the call when an emergency arises, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they make to protect our communities,” Collins said in the release. “This bipartisan legislation would increase access to an affordable education for children of first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty. By easing their families’ financial burden, our legislation could make the difference for whether a child can attend college.”
According to Chuck Canterbury, the national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, 140 law enforcement officers lost their lives in the United States. “That’s 140 officers who will never be able to see their families again,” Canterbury said in the release. “While no amount of financial assistance can replace a loved one, providing children of fallen officers with federal Pell grants for their college education is a noble act.”
Harold Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters added, “Every day fire fighters put their lives on the line to help communities across the nation. Every year, the fire fighter community loses nearly 100 dedicated members due to death in the line of duty. While the loss of a fire fighter has a ripple effect throughout the community, no one suffers more than the families of fallen fire fighters. The Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act provides critical help to the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.”
In 2016, more than 230 public safety officers were killed in the line of duty, including law enforcement, firefighters, EMS workers, and fire police, the release said. This bill would help ease the financial burden on children of fallen first responders by increasing federal student aid opportunities for those children who pursue a college education.
To qualify for a Pell grant, students must demonstrate significant financial need. Nearly 75 percent of Pell grant recipients have a family income of $30,000 or less. A similar benefit is provided to children of parents in the armed forces killed in the line of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001, the release said.
