Family members of federal workers who die on the job will receive larger death benefits if this bipartisan bill becomes law.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Feb. 2 passed Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act which would increase nontaxable death benefits from $10,000 to $100,000 and funeral benefit from $800 to $8,800.
The bill, S. 3487, was introduced by Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio.
AFGE applauds the passage of the bill by the committee and urges both the Senate and the House to pass the bill, which would be the first increase of death benefits for feds who die in the line of duty in more than 20 years.
“The loss of a parent can be catastrophic for many families facing housing, medical, and educational expenses without a primary income earner,” AFGE Legislative Director Julie Tippens wrote in a letter to the committee. “This much-needed bill expresses our nation’s gratitude for the civil servants we have lost, at the time their families most need support. We urge swift passage by the Committee and the Senate as a whole.”
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