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Washington, D.C. —The leader of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) today applauded the likelihood by mid-week of House action on H.R. 2061, legislation that would result in the presentation of a U.S. flag to the next of kin of a civilian federal employee killed while performing his or her official duties.

“I am pleased to see the House poised for action on this legislation,” said NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley. “The presentation of an American flag is a small but tremendously meaningful honor for the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. I look forward to this measure becoming law.”

Earlier this fall, the NTEU leader expressed her support for the bill, which was temporarily withdrawn to work out certain compromise language while retaining the original intent of the bill. The measure enjoys strong bipartisan support.

At that time, President Kelley noted that figures from the Office of Personnel Management show that since 1992, nearly 3,000 federal civil servants have been killed while performing their official duties. “Passage of this legislation will honor all future federal employees who die in the line of duty, and recognize their dedication to the mission of their agency and to the American people,” she said then.

As part of its support, NTEU signed onto a letter from a diverse group of nearly 30 organizations of federal employees and managers, as well as private organizations interested in matters impacting federal employees and their workplaces.

The letter from this coalition to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Minority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), called H.R. 2061 “a good-government bill that honors those who have dedicated their lives to service this country.”

NTEU is the nation’s largest independent union of federal employees, representing 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.