By FireRescue1 Staff

WASHINGTON — Reports the Obama administration wants to cut almost in half a benefits program for the families of slain police and safety officers have been dismissed as untrue.

The president's proposed budget calls for cutting the Public Safety Officers' Death Benefits Program from $110 million to $60 million, according to The Associated Press.

Budget documents say the reduction is being made because "claims are anticipated to decrease."

However, Billy Goldfeder, of FirefighterCloseCalls.com, reported Thursday that the proposed reduction to $60 million pertains to a "projection" or "estimate" for DOJ's planning purposes, and that last year's figure was high because it included a number of families that weren't in the system before.

The IAFF described the report claiming there would be cutbacks as misguided and inaccurate.

The PSOB (Hometown Heroes) program is an entitlement program, which means that 100 percent of benefits must be paid by law to every family that qualifies.

IAFF President Harold Schaitberger said the "cut" that was reported is an estimate of what the program will pay out and is based on the predicted number of line-of-duty death claims.

"There has been no cut to the PSOB program," he said. "The families of firefighters who die in the line of duty will receive the full benefit.

"Whether there are half as many deaths or three times as many deaths, all claims will be paid."