Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Border Management, Federal Workforce and Regulatory Affairs, led Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Josh Hawley (R-MO) in introducing the Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act. This legislation would modernize the death gratuity payment system to ensure that loved ones of civil servants who make the ultimate sacrifice receive the full benefits they deserve.
“Our laws have failed the families of federal workers killed in the line of duty. So many Americans are struggling with outdated benefits that barely even cover their loved one’s funeral costs,” said Senator Fetterman. “It’s long past time that our laws reflect our national values and profound appreciation for federal workers who gave the ultimate sacrifice. I’m proud to join Senators Hagerty, Padilla, and Hawley to introduce legislation that would do just that.”
“Law enforcement put their lives on the line every day and deserve our highest honor and recognition,” said Senator Hagerty. “I’m pleased to join this bipartisan legislation that will help families heal and provide resources that will help them cover everyday expenses.”
Today, only certain survivors of Federal Civil Servants who die in the line of duty are eligible for a one-time benefit of $10,000 and a funeral expense of $800. These benefit amounts were set decades ago and barely cover the cost of a funeral in 2025. The Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act raises these payments to $100,000 and $8,800, respectively, expands access to these payments to the survivors of all federal workers, and makes sure federal workers have a say in designating the beneficiary of their choosing.
The Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act is endorsed by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), National Border Patrol Council (NBPC), FBI Agents Association (FBIAA), National Federal of Federal Employees (NFFE), National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), and American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).
“Each day, federal law enforcement officers at home and abroad put their lives on the line in defense of this nation, its citizens, and its elected and appointed officials. And when one of these hero officers falls in the line of duty, we must ensure that their surviving families receive the support and benefits they deserve,” said Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) National President Mathew Silverman. “The ‘Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act’ does just that and will help demonstrate the federal government’s commitment to fully honoring the sacrifice our fallen officers have made to keep this nation safe. We commend Sens. Fetterman, Hagerty, Padilla, and Hawley for their leadership on this legislation, and FLEOA looks forward to working with them to ensure it is swiftly enacted into law.”
“It is far past the time to update the death benefits for federal employees who are killed in the line of duty. Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other federal workers are facing increasingly dangerous conditions, yet surviving families are still only receive paltry benefits set back during the Johnson Administration,” said Randy Erwin, NFFE National President. “It is not only inadequate, but also disrespectful to those who make the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. The increase to death benefits does not impact discretionary budgets, and it will ensure that future incidents involving the passing of federal workers will not be devalued again. Thank you to Senator Fetterman for his leadership on this matter.”
“AFGE thanks Senators Fetterman, Hagerty, Hawley, and Padilla for introducing this bipartisan bill to modernize the death benefit for federal employees who die in the line of duty. Patriotic federal employees serve every day under hazardous conditions – controlling crime, protecting air travelers, and fighting deadly diseases,” said Everett B. Kelley, National President, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE). “Yet current law provides a death benefit of only $10,000 for those who make the ultimate sacrifice – barely enough to cover a decent funeral, let alone the immediate financial demands upon families often left without a breadwinner. This much-needed legislation will assist the families of these American heroes during their darkest hours.”
“We sincerely appreciate Senators Fetterman, Hagerty, Padilla, and Hawley for their leadership in introducing legislation to honor the ultimate sacrifice made by civil servants across the nation,” said Doreen Greenwald, National President, NTEU. “Bills like this go a long way in highlighting the dedication, heroism and honor of the Federal employees across this nation who lose their lives serving the American people.”
“It has been over twenty-five years since the last time death gratuities were raised for postal and federal employees who died in the line of duty, and over fifty years since funeral expenses were raised,” said National Postal Mail Handlers Union National President Paul V. Hogrogian. “We are long past due to provide for the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We are grateful to the Senators for recognizing the need to support families during this overwhelming time of financial insecurity.”
“IFPTE fully supports the Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act, legislation that increases the currently insufficient death gratuity and funeral allowance for all federal employees who perish while working in the public interest on behalf of the American people,” said International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) President Matthew Biggs. “This bill recognizes the commitment that our members who work across the federal government make when they take an oath to serve this nation. We applaud Senator Fetterman and the bipartisan supporters of the legislation for their leadership on this bill.”
The full text of the bill is available here.
