BOSTON (AP) — Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts is asking Congress to approve $8.5 million in payments to the families of two men who allegedly died at the hands of the former Boston mob boss known as “Whitey” Bulger (BUHL’-juhr).

A federal judge in 2009 awarded the money to the families of Michael Donahue and Brian Halloran in a lawsuit against the FBI. But an appeals court said the families waited too long to file claims and threw out the award this month.

The suit claimed the men were gunned down in 1982 after the FBI leaked information to James Bulger.

Kerry said Tuesday he was filing legislation requiring the Treasury to pay the money. He says Congress has an obligation to make things right.

Rep William Keating has filed a similar measure.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.