U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of both the Senate Armed Services Committee and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, joined a bipartisan group of his

colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Chuck Hagel today urging him to provide immediate death gratuity payments to military families during the government shutdown.

In addition to Blunt, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (Del.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), John Boozman (Ark.), and Tom Carper (Del.).

As the letter states, the death gratuity program provides for a special tax free payment of $100,000 to eligible survivors of members of the Armed Forces who die while on active duty.

“We strongly urge you to use whatever legal discretion you have to ensure that the nation can fulfill that sacred obligation, and to promptly notify us of changes required under law while the Congress continues to work towards reopening the government,” the Senators wrote.

“Most immediately, we request that you seek an interim solution to allow the families of the five service members killed in Afghanistan this weekend to welcome their loved ones home,” the Senators continued. “Any delay in providing families with this essential benefit is absolutely unacceptable.”