I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5982 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the gratuity owed upon 
death of an employee in connection with the employee’s service with 
an Armed Force, to limit the amount of any death gratuity paid upon 
the death of a Member of Congress, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 25, 2018 
Mrs. WALORSKI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the gra-
tuity owed upon death of an employee in connection 
with the employee’s service with an Armed Force, to 
limit the amount of any death gratuity paid upon the 
death of a Member of Congress, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. INCREASE IN GRATUITY FOR DEATH OF AN EM-
PLOYEE INCURRED IN CONNECTION WITH 
THE EMPLOYEE’S SERVICE WITH AN ARMED 
FORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 8102a of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘$100,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$200,000’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by striking paragraph (1) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(1)(A) With respect to a death gratuity pay-
able upon the death of an employee covered by sub-
section (a)— 
‘‘(i) if the employee has a surviving spouse, 
60 percent of the gratuity shall be paid to that 
spouse and the remaining 40 percent of the 
gratuity shall be paid in accordance with sub-
paragraphs (B) and (C) of this paragraph and 
paragraphs (4) and (5); or 
‘‘(ii) if the employee has no surviving 
spouse, the gratuity shall be paid in accordance 
with subparagraphs (B) and (C) of this para-
graph and paragraphs (4) and (5). 
‘‘(B) Subject to paragraph (5), the remainder 
of a death gratuity payable pursuant to subpara-
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graph (A)(i), or a death gratuity payable pursuant 
to subparagraph (A)(ii), (as the case may be) shall 
be paid to or for the living survivor highest on the 
following list: 
‘‘(i) The employee’s children, as prescribed 
by paragraph (2), in equal shares. 
‘‘(ii) If designated by the employee, any 
one or more of the following persons: 
‘‘(I) The employee’s parents or per-
sons in loco parentis, as prescribed by 
paragraph (3). 
‘‘(II) The employee’s brothers. 
‘‘(III) The employee’s sisters. 
‘‘(iii) The employee’s parents or persons in 
loco parentis, as prescribed by paragraph (3), 
in equal shares. 
‘‘(iv) The employee’s brothers and sisters 
in equal shares. 
‘‘(C) Clauses (ii) and (iv) of subparagraph (B) 
include brothers and sisters of the half blood and 
those through adoption.’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (6). 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Subsection (d) of section 8102a of title 5, United States 
Code, is further amended— 
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(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Paragraph 
(1)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘Paragraph (1)(B)(i)’’; 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘Subpara-
graphs (C) and (D) of paragraph (1)’’ and inserting 
‘‘Clauses (ii) and (iii) of paragraph (1)(B)’’; 
(3) in paragraph (4)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘A person’’ and inserting 
‘‘Except as provided in paragraph (1)(A)(i), a 
person’’; and 
(B) 
by 
striking 
‘‘subparagraphs 
(A) 
through (E) of paragraph (1)’’ and inserting 
‘‘clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (1)(B)’’.; 
and 
(4) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘paragraph 
(1).’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (1)(B).’’. 
(c) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this 
section shall apply with respect to the death of any em-
ployee described under section 8102a(a) of title 5, United 
States Code, occurring after the date of enactment of this 
section. 
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON GRATUITY PAID UPON THE DEATH 
OF A MEMBER OF CONGRESS. 
(a) LIMITATION.—No payment in excess of $74,000 
may be made from the applicable accounts of the House 
of Representatives, the contingent fund of the Senate, or 
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any other appropriated funds for a death gratuity pay-
ment to the widow, widower, or heirs-at-law of any Mem-
ber of Congress who dies after the commencement of the 
Congress to which the Member has been elected. 
(b) NO EFFECT
ON OTHER PAYMENTS
TO SUR-
VIVORS.—Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to 
prohibit or affect the payment to any individual of any 
unpaid balance or salary or other sums due to a Member 
of Congress who dies after the commencement of the Con-
gress to which the Member has been elected. 
(c) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, a 
‘‘Member of Congress’’ means a Senator or a Representa-
tive in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Con-
gress. 
(d) APPLICATION.—This section shall apply with re-
spect to the death of any Member of Congress occurring 
after the date of the enactment of this section. 
Æ 
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