In accordance with regulations issued pursuant to this subchapter, in any case in which the Bureau determines that a public safety officer has become permanently and totally disabled as the direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty, the Bureau shall pay the same benefit to the public safety officer (if living on the date on which the determination is made) that is payable under subsection (a) with respect to the date on which the catastrophic injury occurred, as adjusted in accordance with subsection (h): Provided, That for the purposes of making these benefit payments, there are authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary: Provided further, That the amount payable under this subsection shall be the amount payable as of the date of catastrophic injury of such public safety officer.
Whenever the Bureau determines upon showing of need and prior to final action that the death of a public safety officer is one with respect to which a benefit will probably be paid, the Bureau may make an interim benefit payment not exceeding $3,000 to the individual entitled to receive a benefit under subsection (a) of this section.
The amount of an interim payment under subsection (c) shall be deducted from the amount of any final benefit paid to such individual.
Where there is no final benefit paid, the recipient of any interim payment under subsection (c) shall be liable for repayment of such amount. The Bureau may waive all or part of such repayment, considering for this purpose the hardship which would result from such repayment.
No benefit paid under this subchapter shall be subject to execution or attachment.
On October 1 of each fiscal year beginning after June 1, 1988, the Bureau shall adjust the level of the benefit payable immediately before such October 1 under subsection (a), to reflect the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, occurring in the 1-year period ending on June 1 immediately preceding such October 1.
The amount payable under subsection (a) with respect to the death of a public safety officer shall be the amount payable under subsection (a) as of the date of death of such officer.
For purposes of subsection (k), “nonroutine stressful or strenuous physical” excludes actions of a clerical, administrative, or nonmanual nature.
The Bureau may suspend or end collection action on an amount disbursed pursuant to a statute enacted retroactively or otherwise disbursed in error under subsection (a) or (c), where such collection would be impractical, or would cause undue hardship to a debtor who acted in good faith.
The public safety agency, organization, or unit responsible for maintaining on file an executed designation of beneficiary or executed life insurance policy for purposes of subsection (a)(4) shall maintain the confidentiality of the designation or policy in the same manner as the agency, organization, or unit maintains personnel or other similar records of the public safety officer.