During Police Week, Ranking Member Raskin Introduces January 6th Law Enforcement Heroes Compensation Fund Act to Honor Officers Who Defended the Capitol
Bill Creates DOJ-Appointed Special Master to Compensate Officers, Families for Injury, Trauma, or Death Suffered While Defending Democracy During the Attack on the Capitol
Washington, D.C. (May 13, 2026)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced the January 6th Law Enforcement Heroes Compensation Fund Act, legislation establishing a federal compensation program for law enforcement officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the attack on January 6, 2021.
“On January 6th, law enforcement officers stood in the breach as the Capitol came under violent attack. More than 140 of them were left with lasting physical and psychological injuries as a result of that vicious and unprecedented assault. They confronted a mob intent on disrupting the peaceful transfer of power, and they did so at profound personal cost. Yet we have since seen sustained efforts by the Trump Administration to sanitize and distort that history—extending sweeping presidential pardons to those convicted of attacking the Capitol and beating police officers, acting as in-house counsel for the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, and even entertaining taxpayer-funded payouts to violent insurrectionists. Meanwhile, House Republicans have convened a whole January 6th revisionist subcommittee that traffics in denial and historical erasure, while doing precisely zero to support our officers.
“This bill is about standing up for basic fairness and support for the officers who fought for our safety and our Constitution. We will not forget who defended the Capitol, and we will not allow their sacrifice to be diminished or erased. We hope our Republican colleagues will join us this Police Week in actually backing the Blue,” said Ranking Member Raskin.
Modeled in part on the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, the legislation establishes a Special Master at the Department of Justice (DOJ), appointed by the Attorney General, to adjudicate claims for physical injury, emotional trauma, economic loss, or death arising from service during the attack. Eligible surviving families would receive a minimum death benefit of $4.975 million, matching a prior federal payment made to the family of Ashli Babbitt, a January 6th rioter who lost her life while storming the House Chamber, even though two different federal investigations found the police acted reasonably and lawfully to defend Members of Congress from mob violence.
The bill also ensures parity in federal payments related to January 6th litigation. For any dollar the United States pays to settle claims brought by those convicted of violating the law on January 6th, the Special Master must distribute an equivalent amount on a pro rata basis to all law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol.
The program requires claims to be resolved within 120 days, with final determinations not subject to judicial review, and is fully funded through a standing authorization of appropriations.
47 House Democrats are original cosponsors of the legislation.
Click here to read the bill text.