In August 2025, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act of 2025 via Senate Bill 911, co‑sponsored by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D‑NV) and Mitch McConnell (R‑KY). The legislation aims to amend existing law (the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968) so that retired law enforcement officers who die or suffer permanent, total disability as a result of a targeted attack tied to their prior service can become eligible for death benefits. The Senate’s unanimous consent passage indicates strong bipartisan backing in that chamber.

The Act was advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee without amendment and placed on the Senate calendar for consideration.  Its text explicitly adds a new subsection to the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program to cover injuries or deaths of retired officers tied to targeted attacks because of their service. The law would apply retroactively to certain cases going back to January 1, 2012, giving it potential implications for past claims involving retired officers. After Senate passage, the bill moves next to the House of Representatives for further approval.

Named in memory of Chief Herbert D. Proffitt, a Korean War veteran and long‑serving law enforcement officer who was fatally shot in 2012 in an apparent act of retaliation (even though he had retired), the bill addresses a gap in the benefits eligibility under existing law that had excluded retired officers whose deaths were linked to their service. Proponents argue the change is a matter of fairness and recognition, ensuring that families of such officers are not denied benefits merely because retirement occurred before the triggering act.