[Senate Report 118-174]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                               Calendar No. 385


118th Congress }                                             {    Report
                               SENATE 
 2d Session    }                                             {   118-174
                                                                
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

                                                       


         HONORING CIVIL SERVANTS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY ACT

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

                   COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND

                          GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                              to accompany

                                S. 3029

           TO AMEND TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, TO INCREASE
              DEATH GRATUITIES AND FUNERAL ALLOWANCES FOR
               FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES




                  May 9, 2024.--Ordered to be printed
                  
                  
                  
                         ______

             U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 
 49-010            WASHINGTON : 2024
 
            
                  

                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
        COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                   GARY C. PETERS, Michigan, Chairman
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware           RAND PAUL, Kentucky
MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire         RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona              JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada                  MITT ROMNEY, Utah
JON OSSOFF, Georgia                  RICK SCOTT, Florida
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut      JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri
LAPHONZA R. BUTLER, California       ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas

                   David M. Weinberg, Staff Director
                      Alan S. Kahn, Chief Counsel
            Lena C. Chang, Director of Governmental Affairs
              Devin M. Parsons, Professional Staff Member
           William E. Henderson III, Minority Staff Director
              Christina N. Salazar, Minority Chief Counsel
                  Andrew J. Hopkins, Minority Counsel
                     Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk

                                                       Calendar No. 385
118th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                     118-174

======================================================================



 
         HONORING CIVIL SERVANTS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY ACT

                                _______
                                

                  May 9, 2024.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Peters, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
                    Affairs, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 3029]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 3029) to amend 
title 5, United States Code, to increase death gratuities and 
funeral allowances for Federal employees, and for other 
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 
with an amendment and recommends that the bill, as amended, do 
pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
  I. Purpose and Summary..............................................1
 II. Background and Need for the Legislation..........................2
III. Legislative History..............................................3
 IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported.............4
  V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................5
 VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................6
VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............9

                         I. Purpose and Summary

    S. 3029, the Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of 
Duty Act, would increase death gratuity payments and financial 
assistance to cover funeral expenses for the families of 
federal employees killed in the line of duty. Current law 
provides $10,000 in compensation to surviving families of civil 
servants and $800 toward funeral costs. This bill would provide 
$100,000 of financial support to the families of federal 
employees who lose their lives on-the-job, as well as $8,800 to 
cover funeral expenses. The bill indexes the amount of both 
payments to inflation for annual adjustments. In addition, the 
bill authorizes an emergency supplemental appropriation for 
death gratuities if needed as part of the response to major 
events like natural disasters.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\On February 2, 2022, the Committee approved S. 3487, the 
Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act. That bill, as 
reported, is substantially similar to S. 3029. Accordingly, this 
committee report is, in many respects, similar to the committee report 
for S. 3029. See S. Rept. 117-123.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

              II. Background and Need for the Legislation

    Current law authorizes $10,000 in payments to surviving 
family members of most federal civilian employees killed in 
performance of their duties, in addition to a funeral expense 
payment of $800.\2\ These compensation levels have not changed 
since they were established by Congress in 1997 and 1966, 
respectively.\3\ Today, average funeral costs in the United 
States range between $7,000 and $9,000, with the averages in 
ten states rising above $9,000.\4\ The Honoring Civil Servants 
Killed in the Line of Duty Act would increase financial 
assistance for funeral expenses from $800 to $8,800, adjusted 
annually for inflation. In addition, this bill would provide a 
death gratuity benefit to compensate surviving families beyond 
simply the cost of a funeral.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\Pub. L. No 103-332, Sec. 312 (1994); and 5 U.S.C. Sec. 8134(a).
    \3\Id.; See also Office of Personnel Management: OPM Submits 
Legislative Proposal to Congress on Civilian Death Gratuity Benefits 
(Sep. 16, 2016) (www.opm.gov/news/releases/2016/09/opm-submits-
legislative-proposal-to-congress-on-civilian-death-gratuity-benefits/) 
(accessed Oct. 31, 2023).
    \4\World Population Review, Average Funeral Cost by State [Updated 
May 2023] (worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/average-funeral-
cost-by-state) (accessed Oct. 31, 2023).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Some government positions already qualify for financially 
meaningful death gratuity payments. For example, surviving 
families of Foreign Service employees who lose their lives due 
to injuries sustained abroad are eligible for a gratuity 
payment equivalent to one year's salary at the rate of Level II 
of the Executive Schedule.\5\ The annual rate of pay for 
Executive Schedule Level II positions in 2023 is $212,100.\6\ 
In addition, the Department of Defense death gratuity program 
provides $100,000 to survivors of members of the Armed Forces, 
along with monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and 
other benefits related to health, education, and housing.\7\ 
This bill would provide all surviving families of federal 
employees with a death gratuity payment of at least $100,000, 
indexed to inflation going forward.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \5\22 U.S.C. Sec. 3973(a).
    \6\Office of Personnel Management, Salary Table No. 2023-EX: Rates 
of Basic Pay for the Executive Schedule (EX) (www.opm.gov/policy-data-
oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2023/EX.pdf).
    \7\Department of Defense Military Compensation, Death Gratuity 
(militarypay.defense.gov/benefits/death-gratuity/) (accessed Oct. 31, 
2023); Military One Source, Support After Loss Benefits 
(www.militaryonesource.mil/family-relationships/gold-star-surviving-
family/gold-star-surviving-family-benefits/) (accessed Oct. 31, 2023).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In addition to increasing the compensation levels for 
families of civil servants following the death of a loved one, 
the bill would also address an inequitable administration of 
death gratuity payments across the federal government. 
According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), civilian 
agencies vary in the way they administer death gratuities due 
to a range of factors, such as the type of job held by the 
employee and differing rules related to offset requirements, 
tax treatment, and employee eligibility.\8\ In 2016, OPM 
submitted a legislative proposal to the U.S. House of 
Representatives and Senate to increase and more clearly 
authorize a government-wide death gratuity benefit for federal 
employees killed in the line of duty.\9\ The Honoring Civil 
Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act mirrors the OPM 
legislative proposal and would ensure a more uniform 
administration of death gratuity payments. The bill would cover 
all federal workers, including interns, seasonal employees, 
Peace Corps volunteers, Postal employees, and Transportation 
Security Administration (TSA) employees. The death gratuity 
payment would apply to deaths as a result of injury or exposure 
to a disease in the line of service. This benefit would also 
apply to a range of major incidents in which the lives of civil 
servants are tragically lost, such as natural disasters, 
terrorist attacks, criminal acts, wildfires, or other life-
threatening events that require response teams of federal 
employees.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \8\Office of Personnel Management: OPM Submits Legislative Proposal 
to Congress on Civilian Death Gratuity Benefits (Sep. 16, 2016) 
(www.opm.gov/news/releases/2016/09/opm-submits-legislative-proposal-to-
congress-on-civilian-death-gratuity-benefits/) (accessed Oct. 31, 
2023).
    \9\Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        III. Legislative History

    Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced S. 3029, the 
Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act, on 
October 4, 2023, with original cosponsors Senator Bill Hagerty 
(R-TN), Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Senator Josh Hawley 
(R-MO). The bill was referred to the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs.
    The Committee considered S. 3029 at a business meeting on 
October 25, 2023. During the business meeting, Ranking Member 
Paul offered an amendment to the bill as well as a modification 
to that amendment due to negotiations with Senator Sinema. The 
Paul amendment as modified indexed the payments for death 
gratuities to the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index 
(PCE) rather than the Consumer Price Index for All Urban 
Consumers (CPI-U) for the purpose of annual adjustments for 
inflation. The amendment as modified also required the heads of 
agencies to submit a notification to the Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) within 15 days after making a death 
gratuity payment and required GAO to annually submit a report 
to Congress regarding the aggregate amount of death gratuity 
payments made by agencies. In addition, the amendment as 
modified required GAO to perform an audit of the death gratuity 
benefit and submit a report to Congress within three years 
after the bill's enactment.
    The Committee adopted the modification to the Paul 
amendment by voice vote with Senators Peters, Hassan, Sinema, 
Rosen, Ossoff, Blumenthal, Butler, Paul, Lankford, Romney, and 
Scott present. The Committee adopted the Paul amendment as 
modified by voice vote with Senators Peters, Hassan, Sinema, 
Rosen, Ossoff, Blumenthal, Butler, Paul, Lankford, Romney, and 
Scott present. The bill, as amended by the Paul amendment as 
modified, was ordered reported favorably by a roll call vote of 
10 yeas to 0 nays, with Senators Peters, Hassan, Sinema, Rosen, 
Ossoff, Blumenthal, Butler, Lankford, Romney, and Scott voting 
in the affirmative, and Senator Paul recorded as ``present.'' 
Senators Carper, Johnson, and Hawley voted yea by proxy, for 
the record only.

        IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported


Section 1. Short title

    This section establishes the short title of the bill as the 
``Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act.''

Section 2. Increasing death gratuity for Federal employees killed in 
        the line of duty

    Subsection (a) adds a new section 5571 to Title 5, United 
States Code, to establish a death gratuity benefit for federal 
employees killed in the line of duty, updating and replacing 
the death gratuity benefit authority that took effect in 1997.
    Section 5571, subsection (a) defines the term ``employee'' 
for the purpose of federal death gratuity payments. Individuals 
employed by the District of Columbia government do not qualify 
for federal employee death gratuities.
    Section 5571, subsection (b) directs agency heads to pay 
death gratuities to beneficiaries if the death of an employee 
resulted from an injury sustained by the individual while in 
the line of duty, as long as the death was not caused by 
willful employee misconduct or intoxication. The amount of the 
gratuity is $100,000, adjusted each March based on PCE. The 
text clarifies that the Secretary of State maintains authority 
for administering the death gratuity payment for certain 
employees whose compensation and benefits are established under 
the Foreign Service Act of 1980.
    Section 5571, subsection (c) defines the term ``child'' in 
the context of death gratuity payment recipients. Payment 
recipients, listed in order of precedence, include: a 
designated beneficiary, a surviving spouse, children of the 
employee, surviving parents, an administrator of the employee's 
estate, or the person entitled to benefits per the laws of the 
employee's state of residence.
    Subsection (b) amends Title 49 to provide Federal Aviation 
Administration personnel with eligibility for death gratuity 
payments under title 5. The Committee's intent is that the 
increased death benefit and funeral expenses provided for in 
this bill shall apply to all TSA employees, including 
Transportation Security Officers.

Section. 3. Funeral expenses

    Subsection (a) increases the amount of payment to help 
cover funeral expenses for federal employees killed in the line 
of duty from $800 to $8,800. It also requires a cost-of-living 
adjustment to the payment amount each year.
    Subsection (b) applies the increased payment for funeral 
expenses toward deaths that occur on or after the date of the 
bill's enactment.

Section 4. Death gratuity for injuries incurred in connection with 
        employee's service with an Armed Force

    This section amends section 8102a of Title 5 regarding 
death gratuity payments for federal employees killed in 
connection with an Armed Forces contingency operation. The 
changes would ensure the death gratuity payment for these 
employees is $100,000 rather than ``up to'' $100,000 and 
adjusted each year for inflation. This section would also 
ensure the death gratuity payment is administered in the same 
manner as the benefits established in section 5571.

Section 5. Agency gratuity for deaths sustained in the line of duty 
        abroad

    This section amends a section of the Foreign Service Act of 
1980 regarding the death gratuity payments for certain Foreign 
Service employees. It clarifies the manner in which the 
Secretary of State may administer the death gratuity payments 
under the Foreign Service Act of 1980, including that the 
payments would be offset by any death gratuity payment received 
by the beneficiary under section 5571 of Title 5, as 
established by this bill.

Section 6. Emergency supplemental authorization

    Subsection (a) defines the terms ``agency'' and ``covered 
provision'' for the purpose of this section.
    Subsection (b) authorizes an emergency supplemental 
appropriation if the head of an agency, with the approval of 
the Office of Management and Budget, determines that an 
emergency incident results in the inability of the agency to 
make additional death gratuity payments.
    Subsection (c) expresses a sense of Congress that Congress 
should take action on an emergency supplemental appropriation 
request, as described in subsection (b), within 30 days of an 
agency's submission of the request.

Section 7. Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index

    This section changes which price index is referenced in 
statute, as amended by this bill, as the basis for annual 
adjustments to death gratuity payment amounts. The provisions 
replace references to CPI-U with references to PCE.

Section 8. Reporting requirements

    Subsection (a) requires the head of an agency that makes a 
death gratuity payment as established by this bill in section 
5571 of Title 5 to notify GAO within 15 business days after 
making the payment.
    Subsection (b) requires GAO to submit an annual report to 
this Committee and the Committee on Oversight and 
Accountability of the House of Representatives regarding the 
aggregate amount of death gratuities paid under authorities in 
section 5571 of Title 5.
    Subsection (c) requires GAO, within three years after the 
bill's enactment, to conduct an audit regarding death 
gratuities paid under authorities in section 5571 of Title 5.

                   V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact

    Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule 
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has 
considered the regulatory impact of this bill and determined 
that the bill will have no regulatory impact within the meaning 
of the rules. The Committee agrees with the Congressional 
Budget Office's statement that the bill contains no 
intergovernmental or private sector mandates as defined in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs 
on state, local, or tribal governments.

             VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate




    The bill would:
           Increase payments to family (or another 
        specified individual) of federal civilian employees 
        killed in the line of duty to $100,000
           Adjust those payments annually to account 
        for inflation
           Increase the funeral benefits paid for 
        federal employees
           Require the Government Accountability Office 
        to report annually on payments made under the bill and 
        to occasionally audit those payments
    Estimated budgetary effects would mainly stem from:
           Increased payments to families of federal 
        civilian employees who died while on the job
    Areas of significant uncertainty include:
           The number of payments agencies would be 
        required to make annually
    Bill summary: S. 3029 would increase the death gratuity and 
funeral benefits for federal employees who die while on the 
job.
    Estimated Federal cost: The estimated budgetary effect of 
S. 3029 is shown in Table 1. The direct spending costs of the 
legislation fall within all budget functions except 900 (net 
interest), 920 (allowances), and 950 (offsetting receipts).

                                                    TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF S. 3029
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
                                           -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                       2024-     2024-
                                              2024     2025     2026     2027     2028     2029     2030     2031     2032     2033     2028      2033
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
 
Estimated Authorization...................        3        4        5        4        4        4        5        4        4        4       20         41
Estimated Outlays.........................        1        3        4        4        4        4        5        4        4        4       16         37
 
                                                              INCREASES IN DIRECT SPENDING
 
Estimated Budget Authority................        *        *        1        *        *        1        *        *        1        *        1          3
Estimated Outlays.........................        *        *        1        *        *        1        *        *        1        *        1          3
Memorandum:
  Intergovernmental Collections...........        *        *       -1        *        *        *       -1        *        *        *       -1         -2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* = between -$500,000 and $500,000.
a Intragovernmental collections from federal agencies to the Department of Labor to pay for federal workers' funeral benefits paid to representatives of
  deceased federal employees.

    Basis of estimate: For purposes of this estimate, CBO 
assumes S. 3029 would be enacted near the start of calendar 
year 2024.
    Spending subject to appropriation: CBO estimates that 
implementing S. 3029 would increase spending subject to 
appropriation by $16 million over the 2024-2028 for death 
gratuities and funeral benefits (see Table 2).

                TABLE 2.--ESTIMATED INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION UNDER S. 3029
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                         2024-
                                                            2024     2025     2026     2027     2028      2028
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Increased Death Gratuity:
  Estimated Authorization...............................        3        4        4        4        4         19
  Estimated Outlays.....................................        1        3        3        4        4         15
Funeral Benefits:
  Estimated Authorization...............................        *        *        1        *        *          1
  Estimated Outlays.....................................        *        *        1        *        *          1
Total Changes:
  Estimated Authorization...............................        3        4        5        4        4         20
  Estimated Outlays.....................................        1        3        4        4        4         16
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* = between zero and $500,000.

    Increased Death Gratuity. Section 2 of the bill would boost 
the limit on payments that federal agencies make for death 
gratuities for an employee who dies while performing their 
duties from $10,000 to $100,000, with subsequent adjustments 
each year to account for inflation. Those payments would be 
paid from federal agencies' salaries and expense accounts, 
which are largely classified as discretionary spending.
    Using information from the Department of Labor (DOL), CBO 
estimates that about 40 employees die each year in the course 
of performing their duties. Enacting section 2 would increase 
death gratuities by $90,000 part way through 2024, and by 
somewhat larger amounts in future years. (Some spending would 
occur in years after an employee's death because of the timing 
of the death and delays in processing the resulting payments.) 
On that basis, and assuming appropriation of the necessary 
amounts, CBO estimates that implementing section 2 would 
increase discretionary costs by $15 million over the 2024-2028 
period and $35 million over the 2024-2033 period.
    Additionally, the bill would provide inflation adjustments 
to death gratuities paid when federal employees die in 
connection with the employee's service with the Armed Forces in 
a contingency operation. Based on information from the 
Department of Defense, CBO does not expect that implementing 
that provision would have a significant cost.
    Funeral Benefits. Section 3 of S. 3029 would increase the 
maximum amount that DOL can reimburse the personal 
representative of a deceased federal employee for funeral costs 
under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) from $800 
to $8,800, with subsequent adjustments each year to account for 
inflation. CBO expects that most people would receive the 
maximum funeral benefit. Those payments are classified as 
direct spending and are discussed below under the heading 
``Direct Spending.'' In turn, the claimant's employing agency 
would reimburse the FECA account from discretionary 
appropriations. (Those reimbursements are shown in the 
memorandum line in Table 1.) CBO estimates that increasing the 
funeral benefit would increase spending subject to 
appropriation for reimbursements by $1 million over the 2024-
2028 period and $2 million over the 2024-2033 period.
    Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports and audits. 
Section 8 of the bill would require GAO to report annually on 
the total amount of death gratuity payments made under the 
bill. No more than three years after enactment and periodically 
thereafter, GAO would be required to audit the payments made 
under the bill. Based on information from GAO, CBO estimates 
that implementing section 8 would increase spending subject to 
appropriation by an insignificant amount annually and over the 
2024-2033 period.
    Direct spending: CBO estimates that increasing the funeral 
benefit under FECA would increase direct spending by $3 million 
over the 2024-2033 period, as shown in Table 1. That cost is 
slightly more than the amount agencies would reimburse DOL 
because reimbursements from agency appropriations are generally 
made some time after the benefits are paid. The receipt of 
those reimbursements is not counted as having an effect on the 
deficit because the payments are dependent on future 
appropriations.
    Uncertainty: The number of federal employees who die in the 
course of their duties could vary considerably from CBO's 
estimates. Terrorist attacks, natural disasters, pandemics, 
wars, or other exogenous events could significantly increase 
the number of federal employees who die on the job. CBO has no 
basis to assess the likelihood of any of those events, or the 
extent to which those events would change the number of 
employee deaths per year compared with what we estimated for 
purposes of this estimate.
    Pay-As-You-Go considerations: The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go 
Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement 
procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or 
revenues. The net changes in outlays that are subject to those 
pay-as-you-go procedures are shown under the ``Direct 
Spending'' heading in Table 1.
    Increase in long-term net direct spending and deficits: CBO 
estimates that enacting S. 3029 would not increase net direct 
spending by more than $2.5 billion in any of the four 
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2034.
    CBO estimates that enacting S. 3029 would not increase on-
budget deficits by more than $5 billion in any of the four 
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2034.
    Mandates: The bill contains no intergovernmental or 
private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates 
Reform Act.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Dan Ready (federal 
pay), Meredith Decker (FECA); Mandates: Andrew Laughlin.
    Estimate reviewed by: Barry Blom, Chief, Projections Unit; 
Elizabeth Cove Delisle, Chief, Income Security Cost Estimates 
Unit; Christina Hawley Anthony, Deputy Director of Budget 
Analysis.
    Estimate approved by: Phillip L. Swagel, Director, 
Congressional Budget Office.

       VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in brackets, new matter is 
printed in italic, and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

UNITED STATES CODE

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE 5--GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


PART III--EMPLOYEES

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SUBPART D--PAY AND ALLOWANCES

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                     CHAPTER 55--PAY ADMINISTRATION

Table of sections

                    SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS

     * * * * * * *

[SUBCHAPTER VII--PAYMENTS TO MISSING EMPLOYEES] SUBCHAPTER VII--PAYMENTS 
         TO MISSING PERSONS AND PAYMENTS FOR DISABILITY OR DEATH

Sec.
5561. Definitions.
     * * * * * * *
5570. Compensation for disability or death.
5571. Employee death gratuity payments.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


 SUBCHAPTER VII--PAYMENTS TO MISSING [EMPLOYEES] PERSONS AND PAYMENTS 
FOR DISABILITY OR DEATH

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 5571. EMPLOYEE DEATH GRATUITY PAYMENTS

    (a) Definition.--
          (1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 5561(2), in 
        this section, the term ``employee'' means an individual 
        who has been determined by the Secretary of Labor to be 
        an employee within the meaning of section 8101(1), but 
        not including any individual described in subparagraph 
        (D) of section 8101(1).
          (2) Exclusive authority.--A determination described 
        in paragraph (1) may be made only by the Secretary of 
        Labor.
    (b) Gratuity.--
          (1) In general.--With respect to the death of an 
        employee occurring on or after the date of enactment of 
        this section, notwithstanding section 8116, and in 
        addition to any payment made under subchapter I of 
        chapter 81, the head of the agency employing the 
        employee shall pay from appropriations made available 
        for salaries and expenses of that agency a death 
        gratuity to the person identified under subsection 
        (c)(2), if the death of the employee--
                  (A) results from injury sustained while in 
                the line of duty of the employee; and
                  (B) is not--
                          (i) caused by willful misconduct of 
                        the employee;
                          (ii) caused by the intention of the 
                        employee to bring about the injury or 
                        death of the employee or another; or 
                        (iii) proximately caused by the 
                        intoxication of the injured employee.
          (2) Amount.--
          (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
        (B), the amount of a death gratuity paid under 
        paragraph (1) with respect to an employee shall be 
        $100,000, as adjusted each March 1 by the amount 
        determined by the Secretary of Labor to represent the 
        percentage change in the Personal Consumption 
        Expenditures Price Index published for December of the 
        preceding year over that Index published for the 
        December of the year prior to the preceding year, 
        adjusted to the nearest \1/10\ of 1 percent.
          (B) Local compensation plans.--For an employee 
        compensated under a local compensation plan established 
        under section 408 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 
        (22 U.S.C. 3968), the amount of a death gratuity paid 
        under paragraph (1) with respect to the employee shall 
        be in an amount determined in rules issued by the 
        Secretary of State.
    (c) Recipient of Payment.--
          (1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term 
        `child'--
                  (A) includes--
                          (i) a natural child; and
                          (ii) an adopted child; and
                  (B) does not include a stepchild.
          (2) Order of precedence.--A death gratuity paid under 
        subsection (b) with respect to an employee shall be 
        paid in the following order of precedence:
                  (A)
                          (i) To the beneficiary designated to 
                        receive the gratuity by the employee in 
                        a signed and witnessed writing that is 
                        received by the agency employing the 
                        employee before the date of the death 
                        of the employee.
                          (ii) A designation, change, or 
                        cancellation of beneficiary in a will, 
                        or another document not described in 
                        clause (i), shall have no force or 
                        effect for the purposes of that clause.
                  (B) If there is no beneficiary described in 
                subparagraph (A), to the surviving spouse of 
                the employee.
                  (C) If neither subparagraph (A) nor (B) 
                applies, to the children of the employee 
                (including the descendant of any deceased child 
                by representation) such that each such child 
                receives an equal amount of the gratuity.
                  (D) If none of subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) 
                applies, to the surviving parents of the 
                employee such that each such surviving parent 
                receives an equal amount of the gratuity.
                  (E) If none of subparagraphs (A) through (D) 
                applies, to the duly appointed executor or 
                administrator of the estate of the employee.
                  (F) If none of subparagraphs (A) through (E) 
                applies, to the person entitled, under the laws 
                of the State in which the employee is 
                domiciled, as of the date on which the employee 
                dies, to receive the payment.

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SUBPART G--INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES

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CHAPTER 81--COMPENSATION FOR WORK INJURIES

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SUBCHAPTER 1--GENERALLY

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 8102A. DEATH GRATUITY FOR INJURIES INCURRED IN CONNECTION WITH 
                    EMPLOYEE'S SERVICE WITH AN ARMED FORCE

    (a) Death Gratuity Authorized.--[The United States]
          (1) In general.--The United States shall pay a death 
        gratuity of [up to] $100,000 to or for the survivor 
        prescribed by subsection (d) immediately upon receiving 
        official notification of the death of an employee who 
        dies of injuries incurred in connection with the 
        employee's service with an Armed Force in a contingency 
        operation.
          (2) Adjustment.--The amount described in paragraph 
        (1) shall be adjusted each March 1 by the amount 
        determined by the Secretary of Labor to represent the 
        percentage change in the Personal Consumption 
        Expenditures Price Index published for December of the 
        preceding year over that Index published for the 
        December of the year prior to the preceding year, 
        adjusted to the nearest \1/10\ of 1 percent.
    (b) * * *
    [(c) Relationship to Other Benefits.--The death gratuity 
payable under this section shall be reduced by the amount of 
any death gratuity provided under section 413 of the Foreign 
Service Act of 1980, section 1603 of the Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and 
Hurricane Recovery, 2006, or any other law of the United States 
based on the same death.]
    (c) Relationship to Other Benefits.--With respect to a 
death occurring on or after the date of enactment of the 
Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act, the 
death gratuity payable under this section may not be reduced by 
the amount of any other death gratuity provided under any other 
provision of Federal law based on the same death.
    (d) Eligible Survivors.--
          (1) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

          (7) If a person covered by this section does not have 
        any eligible survivors, as described in this 
        subsection, and that person has not designated an 
        alternate person to receive a payment under this 
        section, the payment shall be paid to the personal 
        representative of the person's estate.

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SEC. 8133. COMPENSATION IN CASE OF DEATH

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


    [Gratuity for Death of Civilian Employee From Injury 
Sustained in Line of Duty]
    Pub. L. 104-208, div. A, title I, Sec. 101(f) [title VI, 
Sec. 651], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009-314, 3009-368, 
provided that: ``Notwithstanding section 8116 of title 5, 
United States Code, and in addition to any payment made under 5 
U.S.C. 8101 et seq., beginning in fiscal year 1997 and 
thereafter, the head of any department or agency is authorized 
to pay from appropriations made available to the department or 
agency a death gratuity to the personal representative (as that 
term is defined by applicable law) of a civilian employee of 
that department or agency whose death resulted from an injury 
sustained in the line of duty on or after August 2, 1990: 
Provided, That payments made pursuant to this section, in 
combination with the payments made pursuant to sections 8133(f) 
and 8134(a) of such title 5 and section 312 of Public Law 103-
332 (108 Stat. 2537) [5 U.S.C. 8134 note], may not exceed a 
total of $10,000 per employee.'']

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SEC. 8134. FUNERAL EXPENSES; TRANSPORTATION OF BODY

    (a)
          (1) If death results from an injury sustained in the 
        performance of duty, the United States shall pay, to 
        the personal representative of the deceased or 
        otherwise, funeral and burial expenses not to exceed 
        [$800] $8,800, in the discretion of the Secretary of 
        Labor.
          (2) The amount described in paragraph (1) shall be 
        adjusted on March 1 of each year by the percentage 
        amount determined by the Secretary of Labor under 
        section 8146a for that year.
    (b) * * *

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TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE

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CHAPTER 52--FOREIGN SERVICE

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SUBCHAPTER IV--COMPENSATION

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 3973. DEATH GRATUITIES

    (a) Criteria; Amount; Payment Deemed Gift.--The Secretary 
may provide for payment of a gratuity to the surviving 
[dependents] beneficiaries of any Foreign Service employee, who 
dies as a result of injuries sustained in the performance of 
duty abroad, in an amount equal to one year's salary at level 
II of the Executive Schedule under section 5313 of title 5 at 
the time of death, except that for employees compensated under 
local compensation plans established under section 3968 of this 
title the amount shall be equal to the greater of either one 
year's salary at the time of death, or one year's basic salary 
at the highest step of the highest grade on the local 
compensation plan from which the employee was being paid at the 
time of death. Any death gratuity payment made under this 
section shall be held to have been a gift and shall be in 
addition to any other benefit payable from any source except as 
provided in subsection (e).
    (b) [Other] Executive Agencies.--The head of an executive 
agency shall, pursuant to guidance issued under subsection (c), 
make a death gratuity payment authorized by this section to the 
[survivors] surviving beneficiaries of--
          (1) any employee of that agency who dies as a result 
        of injuries sustained in the performance of duty abroad 
        while subject to the authority of the chief of mission 
        pursuant to section 207; or
          (2) [or of] an individual in a special category 
        serving in an uncompensated capacity for that agency 
        abroad in support of a diplomatic mission, as 
        identified in guidance issued under subsection (c), who 
        dies as a result of injuries sustained in the 
        performance of duty abroad [while subject to the 
        authority of the chief of mission pursuant to section 
        3927 of this title].
    (c) * * *
    [(d) Eligibility to Elect Monthly Compensation as Condition 
to Payment.--A death gratuity payment shall be made under this 
section only if the survivor entitled to payment under 
subsection (c) is entitled to elect monthly compensation under 
section 8133 of title 5, because the death resulted from an 
injury (excluding a disease proximately caused by the 
employment) sustained in the performance of duty, without 
regard to whether such survivor elects to waive compensation 
under such section 8133.]
    (d) Eligibility Under Chapter 81 of Title 5 United States 
Code.--A death gratuity payment shall be made under this 
section only if the death is determined by the Secretary of 
Labor to have resulted from an injury (excluding a disease 
proximately caused by the employment) sustained in the 
performance of duty under section 8102 of title 5, United 
States Code.
    (e) Offset.--For deaths occurring on or after the date of 
enactment of the Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of 
Duty Act, the death gratuity payable under this section shall 
be reduced by the amount of any death gratuity provided under 
section 5571 of title 5, United States Code, based on the same 
death.
    [(e)](f) Definitions.--As used in this section--
          (1) * * *
          (2) [each of] the [terms ``widow'', ``widower'', 
        ``child'', and ``parent'' shall have the same meaning 
        given each such term by section 8101 of title 5] term 
        ``surviving beneficiaries'' means the person or persons 
        identified pursuant to the order of precedence 
        established under section 5571(c)(2) of title 5, United 
        States Code.

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TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

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SUBTITLE VII--AVIATION PROGRAMS

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


PART A--AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY

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SUBPART I--GENERAL

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CHAPTER 401--GENERAL PROVISIONS

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 40122. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

    (a) In General.--

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

    (g) Personnel Management System.--
          (1) * * *
          (2) Applicability of Title 5.--The provisions of 
        title 5 shall not apply to the new personnel management 
        system developed and implemented pursuant to paragraph 
        (1), with the exception of--
                  (A) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                  (I) subsections (b), (c), and (d) of section 
                4507 (relating to Meritorious Executive or 
                Distinguished Executive rank awards) and 
                subsections (b) and (c) of section 4507a 
                (relating to Meritorious Senior Professional or 
                Distinguished Senior Professional rank awards), 
                except that--
                          (i) * * *
                          (ii) * * *
                          (iii) receipt by a career appointee 
                        or a senior career employee of the rank 
                        of Distinguished Executive or 
                        Distinguished Senior Professional 
                        entitles the individual to a lump-sum 
                        payment of an amount equal to 35 
                        percent of annual basic pay, which 
                        shall be in addition to the basic pay 
                        paid under the Federal Aviation 
                        Administration Executive Compensation 
                        Plan; [and]
                  (J) subject to paragraph (4) of this 
                subsection, section 6329, relating to disabled 
                veteran leave[.]; and
                  (K) section 5571, relating to death 
                gratuities resulting from an injury sustained 
                in the line of duty.

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