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) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appro-
priations 
A BILL 
To provide a permanent appropriation of funds for the pay-
ment of death gratuities and related benefits for sur-
vivors of deceased members of the uniformed services 
in event of any period of lapsed appropriations. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Families of Fallen 
Servicemembers First Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. PERMANENT APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR PAY-
MENT OF DEATH GRATUITIES AND RELATED 
BENEFITS FOR SURVIVORS OF DECEASED 
MILITARY SERVICEMEMBERS IN EVENT OF A 
PERIOD OF LAPSED APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) APPROPRIATION.—Funds are hereby appro-
priated during any period of lapsed appropriations during 
a fiscal year, out of any money in the Treasury not other-
wise appropriated, for ‘‘Operation and Maintenance’’ and 
‘‘Military Personnel’’ accounts related to members of the 
uniformed services (as defined in section 101(5) of title 
37, United States Code) for the payment of death gratu-
ities and the provision of related benefits described in sub-
section (c) to survivors of deceased members of the uni-
formed services during the period of lapsed appropria-
tions. 
(b) RATE OF APPROPRIATION.—Funds appropriated 
pursuant to subsection (a) are appropriated at a rate for 
operations as provided for the most recent fiscal year for 
which an Act making appropriations for the uniformed 
services has been enacted and under the authority and 
conditions provided in such Act. 
(c) COVERED BENEFITS.—Funds appropriated pur-
suant to subsection (a) are available for the following pur-
poses during the period of lapsed appropriations: 
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(1) The payment of a death gratuity under sec-
tions 1475–1477 and 1489 of title 10, United States 
Code. 
(2) The payment or reimbursement for funeral 
and burial expenses authorized under sections 1481 
and 1482 of title 10, United States Code. 
(3) The payment or reimbursement of author-
ized funeral travel and travel related to the dignified 
transfer of remains and unit memorial services 
under section 481f of title 37, United States Code. 
(4) The temporary continuation of a basic al-
lowance of housing for dependents of members dying 
on active duty, as authorized by section 403(l) of 
title 37, United States Code. 
(d) DURATION.—Funds appropriated pursuant to 
subsection (a) and authority granted pursuant to this Act 
shall be available whenever there is a period of lapsed ap-
propriations for the duration of the period of lapsed appro-
priations. 
(e) TREATMENT OF EXPENDITURES.—Expenditures 
made pursuant to this Act shall be charged to the applica-
ble appropriation, fund, or authorization whenever a bill 
in which such applicable appropriation, fund, or authoriza-
tion is contained is enacted into law. 
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