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Honoring Our Fallen Heroes ActThe Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, signed into law in December 2025, represents a historic advancement in support of public safety officers and their families. This landmark legislation expanded eligibility under the federal Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program to include deaths caused by occupational cancer.
Administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, the PSOB Program provides critical survivor benefits to the families of public safety officers who make the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. By recognizing occupational cancer as a qualifying cause of death, this legislation acknowledges the significant risks first responders face throughout their careers and ensures that more families receive the support and recognition they deserve. |
FAQ's
The FAQs below is currently under construction please check back regularly for additional updates and information. If you have questions not covered below or need assistance please email [email protected] .
What survivor benefits are available from the PSOB program?
Eligible survivors may receive a one-time death benefit payment through the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program. In addition, educational assistance may be available to surviving spouses who have not remarried and to eligible children under the age of 27, helping support their pursuit of higher education and career goals.
What are the qulification critera?
The Public Safety Officers exposure to the carcinogen must have occurred while the officer was engaged in line of duty action or activity;
The public safety officer must have been serving as a public safety officer not fewer than 5 years before the date of the diagnosis of the public safety officer with an exposure-related cancer;
The public safety officer must have been diagnosed with the exposure-related cancer not more than 15 years after the public safety officer’s last date of active service as a public safety officer; and
The exposure-related cancer directly and proximately results in the death or permanent and total disability of the public safety officer.
The public safety officer must have been serving as a public safety officer not fewer than 5 years before the date of the diagnosis of the public safety officer with an exposure-related cancer;
The public safety officer must have been diagnosed with the exposure-related cancer not more than 15 years after the public safety officer’s last date of active service as a public safety officer; and
The exposure-related cancer directly and proximately results in the death or permanent and total disability of the public safety officer.
What types of cancer are recognized?
The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act (HOFHA) specifically identifies the cancers listed below as qualifying occupational cancers. However, this list should not be interpreted as an exclusive list of cancers that may be recognized under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program.
The legislation also includes any form of cancer that is recognized as a World Trade Center (WTC)-related health condition under Section 3312(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 300mm-22(a)).
In addition, HOFHA grants the Director of the PSOB Program the authority to update and expand the list of covered cancers when competent medical evidence demonstrates a significant risk that public safety officers may develop a particular exposure-related cancer as a result of their public safety duties.
Because this legislation was enacted recently, there is currently no definitive list of cancers that are universally excluded from consideration. Each claim will be evaluated in accordance with the law, applicable regulations, and available medical evidence.
The cancers specifically identified in HOFHA include:
The legislation also includes any form of cancer that is recognized as a World Trade Center (WTC)-related health condition under Section 3312(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 300mm-22(a)).
In addition, HOFHA grants the Director of the PSOB Program the authority to update and expand the list of covered cancers when competent medical evidence demonstrates a significant risk that public safety officers may develop a particular exposure-related cancer as a result of their public safety duties.
Because this legislation was enacted recently, there is currently no definitive list of cancers that are universally excluded from consideration. Each claim will be evaluated in accordance with the law, applicable regulations, and available medical evidence.
The cancers specifically identified in HOFHA include:
- Bladder Cancer
- Brain Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Colon Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Esophageal Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Leukemia
- Lung Cancer
- Malignant Melanoma
- Mesothelioma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Ovarian Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Skin Cancer
- Stomach Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
Time for fileling a claim
For deaths occurring on or after December 18, 2025, a claim must generally be filed within three years of the date of death.
The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act also applies retroactively to eligible deaths that occurred between January 1, 2020, and December 17, 2025. For these claims, survivors have three years from December 18, 2025, to submit an application for benefits.
If you believe you may be outside the applicable filing deadline, you should seek assistance to determine whether an appeal or other filing options may be available. Eligibility and filing requirements can vary based on the specific circumstances of each case.
The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act also applies retroactively to eligible deaths that occurred between January 1, 2020, and December 17, 2025. For these claims, survivors have three years from December 18, 2025, to submit an application for benefits.
If you believe you may be outside the applicable filing deadline, you should seek assistance to determine whether an appeal or other filing options may be available. Eligibility and filing requirements can vary based on the specific circumstances of each case.