[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 44 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 44

 To amend title 10, United States Code, to increase the amount of the 
           military death gratuity from $12,000 to $100,000.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 24, 2005

  Mr. Hagel (for himself, Mr. DeWine, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. 
 Lautenberg, and Mr. Salazar) introduced the following bill; which was 
       read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 10, United States Code, to increase the amount of the 
           military death gratuity from $12,000 to $100,000.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Military Death Benefit Improvement 
Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN DEATH GRATUITY PAYABLE WITH RESPECT TO MEMBERS OF 
              THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) Amount of Death Gratuity.--Section 1478(a) of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``$12,000'' and inserting 
``$100,000''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to deaths occurring on or after November 16, 2001, 
the date of Executive Order 13235, relating to National Emergency 
Construction Authority.
    (c) Funding.--
            (1) Source of funds.--Amounts for the payment during fiscal 
        year 2005 of death gratuities by a Secretary concerned under 
        sections 1475 through 1477 of title 10, United States Code, as 
        amended by subsection (a), shall be derived from amounts made 
        available for such fiscal year in an Act making emergency 
        supplemental appropriations for defense and for the 
        reconstruction of Iraq.
            (2) Secretary concerned defined.--In this subsection, the 
        term ``Secretary concerned'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 101(a)(9) of title 10, United States Code.