(WASHINGTON, DC) – Congressman Dennis Moore (Democrat -- Kansas) and Congressman Spencer Bachus (Republican – Alabama) applauded Senator Chuck Hagel (Republican – Nebraska) for introducing legislation today to increase the military death gratuity to $100,000. Moore and Bachus introduced a companion bill, H.R. 292, last Thursday to honor military personnel.

“I’m pleased this idea, which we first introduced in September 2004, is now getting the national attention it deserves,” Moore said. “Raising the military death gratuity is not about Republicans or Democrats. It is about supporting the families of those who have sacrificed for our country so we can live in freedom.”

Already, the Bachus-Moore bill is cosponsored by over 90 Republicans and Democrats. The proposal is gaining support in the Senate where several lawmakers have announced they will introduce bills to raise the military death gratuity, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and a joint effort by Senator Joe Lieberman (Democrat – Connecticut) and Senator Jeff Sessions (Republican – Alabama).

“Congress must do more to assist the survivors of servicemen and women to overcome the emotional and financial burdens placed upon them as a result of their loss. The present death benefit is woefully inadequate to compensate families who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The fact that our bill has attracted so much bi-partisan support reflects the fact that most in Congress recognize a crying need,” said Bachus.

H.R. 292 calls for increasing the military death gratuity from $12,000 to $100,000 and would be applied retroactively to all servicemen and women on active duty who have died since September 11, 2001.

In the last Congress, Moore and Bachus garnered the support of 219 bipartisan cosponsors for similar legislation. The bill also was endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and the Non Commissioned Officers Association of the United States of America.