Pentagon: Foundation to provide death benefits during shutdown

“I am offended, outraged, and embarrassed that the government
shutdown had prevented the Department of Defense from fulfilling this most
sacred responsibility in a timely manner,” Hagel said in a statement.

The halted death benefits payments sparked wide outrage in
Congress this week from both parties, and the issue briefly became a flashpoint
in the shutdown fight.

House Republicans argued that the Pentagon had the ability
to pay the death benefits under the military pay bill that passed last week,
but the Pentagon disagreed.

The Pentagon announcement came as the House voted to allow the Pentagon to pay out the benefits, 425-0. 

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Tuesday that it was
“disgraceful” the benefits weren’t being paid as the House fast-tracked a bill
to cover the payments.

Before the House vote, White House press secretary Jay
Carney said that President Obama was “very disturbed” to learn of the problem
and ordered the Pentagon to work with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
to find a solution.

“He was not pleased to learn of this problem, and he has
directed the OMB and his lawyers to find a solution, and he expects to have one
today,” Carney said.

Carney did not say when the president was told about the
issue.

Hagel said that the Fisher House Foundation had approached
the Pentagon within the last 24 hours with an offer to make the payments for
the death benefits.

Since the shutdown began Oct. 1, 26 service members have
died, according to a Pentagon spokesman.