#aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #chig ,,an ,,act ,to revise administrative procedures relating to public safety officers' death benefits1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,officer ,john ,barnes and ,chief ,michael ,ansbro ,public ,safety ,officers' ,benefit ,program ,expansion ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,eligibility determination for public safety officer benefits 7a7 ,in general ,section #abje of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajbhe7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7e77#b77;,e71 by inserting 1 including whether the delay is due to the inaction of the claimant or an agency from which information is required after basis for delay2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,notice and interim benefits 7#a7 ,notice of missing information ,not later than #ij calendar days after receiving a claim filed under this subpart1 the ,bureau shall notify the claimant or the relevant agency of any missing information required to process the claim4 7#b7 ,notice of determination 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #bgj calendar days after receiving all information required to process the claim1 the ,bureau shall inform the claimant of the ,bureau's final1 appealable determination as to the claimant's benefit eligibility4 7,b7 ,interim benefits as notice ,provision of interim benefits under section #abja7;c7 shall be deemed to be notice under subparagraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,interim benefits 7,a7 ,entitlement ,if the ,bureau fails to inform a claimant of the ,bureau's determination on or before the date that is #bgj calendar days after receiving all information required to process the claim1 the ,bureau shall issue a single interim benefit payment with respect to the claim1 payable only to-- 7i7 a claimant whose status as an eligible beneficiary is undisputed2 or 7ii7 if beneficiary status remains unresolved1 an escrow or fiduciary account1 pending final determination under section #abja4 7,b7 ,rescission or repayment ,any interim benefits paid under this subsection-- 7i7 shall be credited against any final benefit determination made under section #abja2 7ii7 shall not be subject to recoupment or affirmative repayment by the ,bureau1 except in cases of fraud or material misrepresentation2 and 7iii7 shall not be construed to create an entitlement to benefits if the claimant or decedent is determined to be ineligible under this part4 7#d7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this subsection shall be construed to-- 7,a7 limit the ,bureau's authority to deny a claim for failure to meet statutory eligibility requirements2 7,b7 alter the determination of eligible beneficiaries under section #abja2 or 7,c7 require payment of interim benefits to multiple claimants if the statute authorizes payment to only #a or more mutually exclusive beneficiaries4 7g7 ,outreach ,the ,bureau shall-- 7#a7 conduct outreach efforts on an ongoing basis to ensure that public safety officers and underserved public agencies are aware of the program under this part1 including outreach efforts for disabled public safety officers2 and 7#b7 include in the outreach efforts under paragraph 7#a7 regular communications with national public safety organizations1 public safety agencies1 and organizations supporting disabled public safety officers and the families of fallen officers4 7h7 ,summary of backlogged claims ,not later than #cj days after publishing the report required under subsection 7e77#b71 the ,bureau shall submit a summary of the information required to be reported under subsection 7e77#b77;,e7 to the ,committee on the ,judiciary of the ,senate and the ,committee on the ,judiciary of the ,house of ,representatives4 7i7 ,audit of backlogged claims ,on an annual basis1 the ,comptroller ,general shall conduct an audit of any pending claims under this part that were submitted to the ,bureau more than #a year before the date on which the audit is commenced1 to identify programmatic challenges to the timely processing of death1 disability1 and educational assistance claims4 ,as part of the audit1 the ,comptroller ,general shall also review-- 7#a7 where the claim is in the determination process2 7#b7 the reasons for delay1 including any processes1 such as legal review1 that prevent timely processing of claims2 7#c7 whether the agency has used its subpoena authority for the claims2 7#d7 the frequency of outreach to the claimant and efforts to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of outreach and claims assistance efforts2 7#e7 the efforts of the ,bureau of ,justice ,assistance to implement a claims processing manual to ensure consistency across staff in determining claims2 and 7#f7 efforts to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of outreach and claims assistance efforts4 4 7b7 ,subpoena requirement ,section #abjf7;b7 of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajbhh7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a77;,b71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 with respect to information or documentation in the possession of a public agency that the ,bureau has determined is necessary to adjudicate the claim that the public agency has failed to provide by the date that is #cj days after the date of the ,bureau's or the claimant's request to provide the information or documentation1 shall issue a subpoena to the public agency to obtain the information or documentation1 unless the ,bureau has approved an extension not exceeding #fj days4 4 7c7 ,definitions 7#a7 ,in general ,section #abjd of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajbhd7 is amended-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#d77;,b77ii71 by striking parapalegic and inserting paraplegic2 7,b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#h7 through 7#ad7 as paragraphs 7#i7 through 7#ae71 respectively2 and 7,c7 by inserting after paragraph 7#g7 the following3 7#h7 gainful work means gainful work activity1 as defined in section #cb4bc of title #bh1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 or successor regulation2 4 7#b7 ,conforming amendments 7,a7 ,internal ,revenue ,code ,section #djb7l77#d77;,c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf is amended by striking 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cgif;b7#i77;,a774 7,b7 ,title #bh ,section #ahfc7;b77#e77;,b7 of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking section #abjc7f7 and inserting section #abjd4 #c4 ,expedited payment for ,,vcf or ,,wtchp determinations ,section #abje7;b7 of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajbhe7;b77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,in making determinations under section #abja7;a71 the ,bureau shall1 absent clear and convincing evidence to the contrary1 as determined by the ,bureau1 approve any claim if the ,september #aath ,victim ,compensation ,fund of #bjja 7#di ,u4,s4,c4 #djaja note2 ,public ,law #ajg-db7 7commonly referred to as the ,,vcf7 or the ,world ,trade ,center ,health ,program under title ,,xxxiii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjmm et seq47 provides a certification of facts that-- 7,a7 the claim is eligible for death benefits under the ,victim ,compensation ,fund2 or 7,b7 the cause of claimant's death is a ,world ,trade ,center ,health ,program-related condition4 4 #d4 ,implementation of certain ,,gao recommendations ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,attorney ,general shall ensure that the ,director of the ,bureau of ,justice ,assistance implements the recommendations provided in the report of the ,government ,accountability ,office entitled ,public ,safety ,officers' ,benefits ,program3 ,transparency1 ,claims ,assistance1 and ,program ,management ,improvements ,needed 7,,gao-#bd-ajeedi71 published on ,september #bg1 #bjbd4 ,passed the ,senate ,august #g1 #bjbf4,secretary