April 24, 2008 – The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has conducted a review of the Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) implementation of the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act of 2003 (Hometown Heroes Act) in response to concerns expressed by several members of Congress that OJP was taking too long to process claims submitted under the Act and that OJP’s narrow interpretation of terms found in the Act – in particular the phrases “non-routine stressful or strenuous physical activity” and “competent medical evidence to the contrary” – might be resulting in a high rate of claims denials.