NBC's Andrea Mitchell to Report Live from Dover Air Force Base Today

By: Caryn Robbins Oct. 09, 2013

Andrea Mitchell will report live today from the Dover Air Force Base for "Andrea Mitchell Reports" on MSNBC and "NBC Nightly News." Part of NBC News and MSNBC's ongoing coverage of how the government shutdown has denied benefits for families of fallen soldiers, Mitchell will provide updates on the dignified transfer of Army Pfc. Cody Patterson, who was one of four soldiers killed in Afghanistan over the weekend. Patterson's family, and the families of 26 other service members killed in active duty since the government shutdown on October 1st will not be able to get immediate death benefits.

Mitchell first reported (http://on.today.com/19guKjr) that the shuttered federal government is withholding a $100,000 payment normally wired to relatives of fallen soldiers on NBC's "TODAY" on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

This report spurred Congressional reaction later on Tuesday with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid referencing Mitchell's reporting, calling the delay "shameful and embarrassing." Senator John McCain echoed that outrage on the Senate floor, saying: "Shouldn't we as a body, Republican or Democrat - shouldn't we be embarrassed? Ashamed?" And in a response to a question from NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell, Speaker John Boehner called it "disgraceful."

For more on this continuing coverage, visit NBCNews.com (http://www.nbcnews.com/) and tune into NBC News and MSNBC throughout the day.