WASHINGTON — Defense and congressional officials said today news organizations will be allowed to photograph the homecomings of America's war dead under a new Pentagon policy.

The officials say Defense Secretary Robert Gates has decided to allow photos of flag-draped caskets at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, if the families of fallen troops agree.

The emerging policy mirrors one at Arlington National Cemetery, in which families largely decide whether they want media coverage.

One official says Gates also will form a working group to lay out logistics on how it will be handled.

Gates has said he first looked at lifting the ban a year ago.