34 U.S.C. § 10306 — Special rule

(a) Retroactive eligibility Despite any other provision of law, a spouse or child of a Federal law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty on or after January 1, 1978, and a spouse or child of a public safety officer killed in the line of duty on or after January 1, 1978, is eligible for assistance under this part, subject to the other limits in this part. (b) Retroactive assistance Unless prospective assistance has already been provided, the Attorney General^* must provide retroactive assistance to a person eligible under this section for each month in which that person pursued a program of education^* at an eligible educational institution^*. The Attorney General must apply this part’s limits to the retroactive assistance. (c) Prospective assistance The Attorney General may provide prospective assistance to a person eligible under this section on the same basis as assistance provided to a person who is otherwise eligible. When applying this part’s limits on assistance, the Attorney General must include assistance provided retroactively. A person eligible under this section may give up retroactive assistance and apply only for prospective assistance on the same basis as a person who is otherwise eligible.