John Fetterman (D-PA)
Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act aims to increase death gratuities and funeral allowances for Federal employees. It establishes a $100,000 death gratuity for employees who die from injuries sustained in the line of duty, provided the death was not caused by willful misconduct, intent to harm, or intoxication. This gratuity will be adjusted annually based on the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index. The bill also increases funeral expense allowances from $800 to $8,800. Additionally, it addresses death gratuities for those serving with armed forces and those performing duties abroad.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Death Gratuity: Federal employees who die due to injuries sustained in the line of duty would receive a $100,000 death gratuity, which is adjusted annually for inflation (Section 2(a)(1)(b)(2)(A)).
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Higher Funeral Allowances: The bill increases the funeral expense allowance from $800 to $8,800 to help cover costs, with annual inflation adjustments (Section 3(a)).
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Protections for Specific Deaths: For those injured in connection with service with an armed force, the death gratuity may not be reduced by other federal death gratuities provided for the same death (Section 4(b)(2)(c)).
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Emergency Funding Availability: If a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other incident prevents an agency from making required payments, the bill authorizes additional sums to ensure those payments can still be made (Section 6(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Exclusions Based on Conduct: The death gratuity will not be paid if the death results from the employee's willful misconduct, an intention to cause injury or death, or intoxication (Section 2(a)(1)(b)(1)).
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Specific Exclusions for Definition of Employee: The definition of "employee" for these payments specifically excludes individuals described in subparagraph (D) of section 8101(1) (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Offset for Foreign Service Deaths: For deaths occurring while performing duty abroad, the death gratuity payment is reduced by the amount of any death gratuity provided under section 5571 (Section 5(b)(5)).
- 6/12/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Bill HagertyRepublican · Tennessee
Josh HawleyRepublican · Missouri
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California