Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto released the following statement after her Protecting Our Gold Star Families’ Education Act passed the Senate. Cortez Masto introduced this bill alongside Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.). The legislation will expand the Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) Scholarship to cover all dependents of first responders and law enforcement officers that die in the line of duty. It would also protect the CFH Scholarship and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) from future cuts. Both the CFH and IASG programs provide Pell Grants to dependents of those who were killed in the line of duty in law enforcement or in military service.
“The sacrifices families of those tragically killed in the line of duty have made for our nation are immeasurable, and this legislation ensures that their children have access to quality education,” Senator Cortez Masto said. “By making college affordable, we are taking care of the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.”
Senator Cortez Masto has worked to support the families of our military veterans and law enforcement officers throughout her career. She has cosponsored bipartisan legislation to lower their taxes and is a champion in the Senate advocating for our veterans and their families. As part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2021, Senator Cortez Masto secured measures to improve mental health services for members of the National Guard and Reserves, support Navy members in getting the retirement benefits owed to them, and increase the transparency and efficiency of the Department of Defense’s TRICARE medical billing practices. She has also passed bipartisan legislation to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide and provide support for law enforcement officers seeking mental health services.
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