Topeka ? Legislators have agreed to provide a one-time death benefit to the families of two Kansas National Guard members killed in Iraq, but the amount is half of what was once proposed.

The proposal, giving each soldier’s family $125,000, was included in the year’s final budget legislation. But some senators had hoped the benefit would be $250,000 per family and that legislators would set up a program to provide the same amount when other Guard members die while on active duty.

The Senate approved an ongoing $250,000 death benefit three times this year, while House members haven’t considered the idea.

The smaller plan emerged from negotiations over the state’s $11.4 billion spending plan. Both chambers were to vote on the budget legislation late Saturday or early today.

“I’m glad we got something, but I’m disappointed we didn’t get more,” said Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, who sponsored the original plan.

Two soldiers from Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery Regiment, based in Hiawatha, were killed Nov. 8 in Iraq when they positioned their vehicle between a high-ranking delegation and a suicide car bomber. Killed were Staff Sgt. Clinton Wisdom, 39, of Atchison, and Sgt. Don Clary, 21, of Troy.

Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, state adjutant general, said any appropriation was appreciated.

“It shows that the people we work hard to serve are working equally hard for us,” Bunting said. “We would never engage in an argument about what the benefit should be.”

The bill was part of a bigger debate about helping the 7,600 Guard members and their families. Earlier this month, a Military Bill of Rights became law, including a college tuition waiver for the dependents of any Guard members from Kansas killed in combat.

Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita, one of the negotiators, said a reduction in the death benefit didn’t show a lack of respect for the military.

“I’ve got to be careful about anything new you do,” she said. “It’s not as if, in the past, we had a set policy.”

Rep. Jeff Jack, R-Parsons, a retired Army Guard colonel, said he worried that the action might tell soldiers they’re not appreciated.

“On the other hand, if we started off with nothing and said we’ll do $125,000, that would sound pretty good,” he said.