January 6th Law Enforcement Heroes Compensation Fund Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
- Committees
- Judiciary Committee (primary)
- Last action
- May 13, 2026
Bottom line
This bill seeks to provide financial compensation to law enforcement officers for injuries or death sustained during the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, and to all officers who served that day, with a unique funding mechanism tied to payments made to convicted January 6th offenders.
What it actually does
This bill establishes the "January 6th Law Enforcement Heroes Compensation Fund Act" to provide financial compensation to law enforcement officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the events of January 6, 2021. It creates a Special Master to administer claims for economic and noneconomic losses, including death (even by suicide reasonably attributable to service), and mandates a minimum payment of $4,975,000 for death claims. Additionally, it provides for an "additional payment" to all active duty law enforcement officers who served that day, regardless of injury, based on a formula involving payments made by the U.S. in civil actions or administrative claims brought by individuals convicted of January 6th offenses.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021, suffered significant physical, emotional, and psychological harm, and some even lost their lives, thus deserving comprehensive financial compensation for their sacrifices. They contend that the bill provides a necessary and just mechanism to acknowledge their heroism and provide relief for their losses, including long-term impacts like PTSD and suicide.
Opponents contend
Critics might argue that while supporting law enforcement is important, the bill's specific funding mechanism, which links compensation for heroes to payments made to convicted offenders, is problematic and could be seen as politically charged or potentially unworkable. Concerns might also be raised about the specific minimum payment amount and the broad definition of "death" including suicide, which could set a complex precedent for compensation programs.
The bill is concise and clearly written, allowing for a quick and informed understanding of its provisions.
Section 3
Purpose of the Act
This section explicitly states the bill's goal: to compensate law enforcement officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, for injuries (including mental or emotional) or death resulting from the attack.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that clearly stating the purpose upfront ensures transparency and reinforces the moral imperative to support officers who faced grave danger.
Critics contend
No specific opposition is typically raised against a purpose statement itself, though opponents of the overall bill would disagree with the underlying policy.
Section 4
Special Master Appointment and Authority
This section tasks the Attorney General with appointing a Special Master to administer the compensation program. The Special Master is given broad authority to create all procedural and substantive rules for the Act's administration and to hire necessary staff. It also authorizes appropriations for administrative costs.
Section 5
Claims Process and Eligibility Criteria
This section outlines the process for filing claims, requiring a specific form developed by the Special Master. It defines "eligible individual" as an active duty law enforcement officer who served on January 6, 2021, and suffered economic loss, noneconomic loss, or death (including suicide reasonably attributable to service), or their personal representative. The Special Master reviews claims, determines eligibility and compensation amounts within 120 days, and these determinations are final and not subject to judicial review. Claimants have due process rights, but punitive damages are excluded, and collateral source compensation reduces the award. Claims must be filed within 3 years of regulations promulgation.
Section 6
Compensation Payments and Minimum Death Benefit
This section mandates that the Special Master authorize payment to eligible claimants within 180 days of a compensation determination. Crucially, it establishes a minimum payment of $4,975,000 for any claim payable for death, including suicide or other deaths reasonably attributable to service on January 6, 2021.
Section 7
Supplemental Payments and Unique Funding Mechanism
This section introduces an "additional payment" to all active duty law enforcement officers who served on January 6, 2021, regardless of whether they suffered economic or noneconomic loss. The amount of this additional payment is calculated by adding $4,975,000 to the total sum of all payments made by the United States in civil actions or administrative claims to persons convicted of January 6th offenses (between January 20, 2025, and the claim period expiration), and then dividing this total by the number of eligible claimants. This payment is made 180 days after the claim period expires.
This subsection defines how to calculate a key component of the "additional payment" for all officers. It specifies that the Attorney General must sum all payments made by the United States in settlement of civil actions or administrative claims brought by persons convicted of an offense related to the January 6, 2021, events, during a specific period (January 20, 2025, to the claim period expiration).
Section 7(b)
Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice to define terms or calculation methods in subsequent subsections. However, the specific nature of the calculation (linking payments to convicted individuals) makes it a critical detail that could be overlooked.
Case for: Proponents would argue this mechanism ensures that those who caused the harm, or at least those convicted for it, indirectly contribute to the compensation of the officers who defended against them, creating a sense of justice.
Case against: Opponents might argue that this creates a complex and potentially contentious accounting exercise, and that the government should fund compensation directly rather than relying on a variable sum tied to legal settlements with convicted individuals, which could be seen as politically motivated rather than fiscally sound.
Estimated impact: The impact is financial, directly influencing the amount of the "additional payment" received by all eligible law enforcement officers. The scale depends entirely on future legal settlements.