Death benefits rising

Washington, D.C.

The Bush administration this week announced plans to dramatically increase payments to families of soldiers killed in war zones. Relatives now receive $12,420. President Bush’s new budget proposes raising the death benefit to $100,000; the government would also pay for an extra $150,000 in life insurance coverage. The plan would cover soldiers killed since October 2001, including the more than 1,500 who have died in Afghanistan and Iraq. David Chu, the Pentagon’s personnel chief, said the government wanted to protect survivors from financial hardship. “There is nothing we can do about the hurt,” he said.

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