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119-hr-3317119th CongressWALLET

Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act

Sponsored By: Representative Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]

In Committee

Summary

The Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act would expand and index death gratuities and funeral payments for federal employees, military members, and Foreign Service personnel killed in the line of duty. It would also harmonize eligibility rules across agencies, make these payments tax-exempt, and authorize emergency supplemental funding when agency funds are exhausted.

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  • Families and survivors: Survivors could receive larger, tax-exempt lump-sum payments under a new federal death gratuity with a clear order of precedence. Funeral reimbursement increases from $800 to $8,800 and would be adjusted each March for inflation.
  • Employees and service members: The bill would create a new statutory death gratuity under 5 U.S.C. 5571 and extend CPI-based increases to Title 10 military and Foreign Service gratuities, while clarifying offsets against other government benefits.
  • Agencies and emergency funding: Executive agencies would follow uniform criteria for eligibility and payments across FAA, TSA, VHA and related programs. The bill authorizes emergency supplemental appropriations to cover extraordinary incidents when agency funds are exhausted and urges prompt congressional action on requests.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Federal funeral pay raised to $8,800

If enacted, the federal funeral expense reimbursement would increase from $800 to $8,800 for deaths on or after enactment. The payment amount would be adjusted each March 1 by the percentage the Secretary of Labor sets under the CPI formula. These reimbursements would not be included in the recipient's taxable income.

New $100,000 death benefit for employees

If enacted, agencies would have to pay a $100,000 death gratuity for qualifying employee deaths. That base amount would be adjusted each March 1 for inflation using a Labor Department CPI formula. Some deaths would be excluded, for example willful misconduct, intentional self-harm, or deaths proximately caused by intoxication. The bill would also add this new statutory payment to certain FAA, TSA-appointed, and specified VHA employees and repeal the older 1997 gratuity authority for deaths on or after enactment.

Military death gratuities indexed to CPI

If enacted, the $100,000 military death gratuity and certain armed-forces-related death payments would be adjusted each March 1 for inflation using the Secretary of Labor's CPI formula. These payments would be tax-exempt. For deaths on or after enactment, payments under the armed-forces related provision would be reduced by amounts payable under other U.S.-funded programs. If a covered person has no eligible survivors and no designated alternate, the payment could go to the decedent's estate.

Death payments for Foreign Service survivors

If enacted, surviving beneficiaries of Foreign Service employees who die abroad could get a death gratuity under updated rules. Agencies would follow issued guidance on who qualifies and the order of payments. Payments would apply only if the Secretary of Labor finds the death came from an injury in the line of duty and would be reduced by other U.S.-funded payments (with one statutory exception). These payments would not be taxable.

Emergency funds for extra gratuity costs

If enacted, agencies that pay death gratuities could receive emergency supplemental appropriations when disasters, terrorism, or other incidents create costs beyond agency funds. The agency head and OMB must agree that extra money is needed. Additional payments could be made only if Congress appropriates the sums. The bill expresses a view that Congress should act on such requests within 30 days.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]

VA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 5/9/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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