U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch told the Herald that Congress is “really close to a solution” in providing the family of Glen Doherty of Winchester — a former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor killed during the 2012 Benghazi attacks — with proper death benefits.
“It’s really been the bureaucracy and identifying the funding source of the benefits,” Lynch said yesterday of the more-than-three-year battle. “That’s where we are right now. I think we’re really close to a solution, but we’re not there yet.”
Doherty was one of four Americans who died when militants attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, yet the insurer has refused to pay out a claim to his sister and mother because Doherty didn’t have a wife and children.
Lynch, as well as U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, have been fighting to secure the benefits and have been joined by U.S. Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham.
But even as the nation honored and rallied around its veterans yesterday, the policy Doherty assumed would take care of his family in the event of his death remained unpaid.
“There’s no open argument, no one thus far has openly said he’s not entitled to his benefits,” said Lynch. “There hasn’t been a policy argument against this.”
The Doherty family has said they don’t just want the benefits, they want to see legislation passed to ensure other families don’t fall into a similar situation.