5 U.S.C. § 5742: Transportation of remains, dependents, and effects; death occurring away from official station or abroad

an Executive agency; a military department; an agency in the legislative branch; and an agency in the judicial branch. the expense of preparing and transporting the remains to the home or official station of the employee, or such other place appropriate for interment as is determined by the head of the agency concerned, if death occurred while the employee was in a travel status away from his official station in the United States or while performing official duties outside the continental United States or in transit thereto or therefrom; the employee died while performing official duties outside the continental United States or in transit thereto or therefrom; or the employee died in the circumstances described in subparagraph (A); or in an overseas location that, at the time such employee was performing such official duties, was within the area of responsibility of the Commander of the United States Central Command; and in direct support of or directly related to a military operation, including a contingency operation (as defined in section 101(13) 1 of title 10) or an operation in response to an emergency declared by the President; and 1 See References in Text note below. the employee’s dependents were residing either outside the continental United States or within the continental United States when the employee died; and the travel expenses of not more than 2 persons to escort the remains of a deceased employee, if death occurred while the employee was in travel status away from his official station in the United States or while performing official duties outside the United States or in transit thereto or therefrom, from the place of death to the home or official station of such person, or such other place appropriate for interment as is determined by the head of the agency concerned. local commercial mortuary facilities and supplies are not available; or the cost of available mortuary facilities and supplies are prohibitive in the opinion of the head of the agency. The benefits of this section may not be denied because the deceased was temporarily absent from duty when death occurred. Employees covered by this section include an employee who has been reassigned away from the employee’s home of record pursuant to a mandatory mobility agreement executed as a condition of employment.