I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1928 

To provide a permanent appropriation of funds for the payment of death 

gratuities and related benefits for survivors of deceased members of 

the uniformed services in event of any period of lapsed appropriations. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 5, 2017 

Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself and Mr. THOMAS J. ROONEY of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations 

A BILL 

To provide a permanent appropriation of funds for the payment of death gratuities and related benefits for survivors of deceased members of the uniformed services 

in event of any period of lapsed appropriations. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Families of Fallen 

5 Servicemembers First Act’’. 

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1 SEC. 2. PERMANENT APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR PAY2 MENT OF DEATH GRATUITIES AND RELATED 

3 BENEFITS FOR SURVIVORS OF DECEASED 

4 MILITARY SERVICEMEMBERS IN EVENT OF A 

5 PERIOD OF LAPSED APPROPRIATIONS. 

6 (a) APPROPRIATION.—Funds are hereby appro7 priated during any period of lapsed appropriations during 

8 a fiscal year, out of any money in the Treasury not other9 wise appropriated, for ‘‘Operation and Maintenance’’ and 

10 ‘‘Military Personnel’’ accounts related to members of the 

11 uniformed services (as defined in section 101(5) of title 

12 37, United States Code) for the payment of death gratu13 ities and the provision of related benefits described in sub14 section (c) to survivors of deceased members of the uni15 formed services during the period of lapsed appropria16 tions. 

17 (b) RATE OF APPROPRIATION.—Funds appropriated 

18 pursuant to subsection (a) are appropriated at a rate for 

19 operations as provided for the most recent fiscal year for 

20 which an Act making appropriations for the uniformed 

21 services has been enacted and under the authority and 

22 conditions provided in such Act. 

23 (c) COVERED BENEFITS.—Funds appropriated pur24 suant to subsection (a) are available for the following pur25 poses during the period of lapsed appropriations: 

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1 (1) The payment of a death gratuity under sec2 tions 1475–1477 and 1489 of title 10, United States 

3 Code. 

4 (2) The payment or reimbursement for funeral 

5 and burial expenses authorized under sections 1481 

6 and 1482 of title 10, United States Code. 

7 (3) The payment or reimbursement of author8 ized funeral travel and travel related to the dignified 

9 transfer of remains and unit memorial services 

10 under section 481f of title 37, United States Code. 

11 (4) The temporary continuation of a basic al12 lowance of housing for dependents of members dying 

13 on active duty, as authorized by section 403(l) of 

14 title 37, United States Code. 

15 (d) DURATION.—Funds appropriated pursuant to 

16 subsection (a) and authority granted pursuant to this Act 

17 shall be available whenever there is a period of lapsed ap18 propriations for the duration of the period of lapsed appro19 priations. 

20 (e) TREATMENT OF EXPENDITURES.—Expenditures 

21 made pursuant to this Act shall be charged to the applica22 ble appropriation, fund, or authorization whenever a bill 

23 in which such applicable appropriation, fund, or authoriza24 tion is contained is enacted into law. 

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1 (f) RULE OF IMPLEMENTATION.—This Act shall be 

2 implemented so that only the most limited funding action 

3 of that permitted in this Act shall be taken in order to 

4 provide for continuation of the benefits described in sub5 section (c). 

6 (g) PERIOD OF LAPSED APPROPRIATIONS DE7 FINED.—In this Act, the term ‘‘period of lapsed appro8 priations’’ means any period during which appropriations 

9 are not available due to the absence of the timely enact10 ment of any Act or joint resolution (including any Act or 

11 joint resolution making continuing appropriations) appro12 priating funds for the payment of the benefits described 

13 in subsection (c). 

Æ 

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