[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4191 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4191
To restore certain non-monetary Federal benefits to surviving spouses,
eligible for the Gold Star lapel button, who remarried, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 2021
Ms. Stefanik (for herself and Mr. Kim of New Jersey) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services,
and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Oversight
and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To restore certain non-monetary Federal benefits to surviving spouses,
eligible for the Gold Star lapel button, who remarried, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Gold Star Spouses Non-Monetary
Benefits Act''.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL BENEFITS FOR REMARRIED SURVIVING SPOUSES ELIGIBLE FOR
THE GOLD STAR LAPEL BUTTON.
(a) Civil Service.--
(1) Preference eligible.--Section 2108(3)(D) of title 5,
United States Code, is amended by striking ``unmarried''.
(2) Noncompetitive appointment.--Section 3330d(a)(3)(B) of
such title is amended to read as follows:
``(B) who was married to a member of the Armed
Forces on the date on which the member dies while on
active duty in the Armed Forces.''.
(b) Department of Defense.--
(1) Commissary and exchange benefits.--Section 1062 of
title 10, United States Code, is amended--
(A) by inserting ``(a) Unremarried Former
Spouses.--'' before ``The Secretary''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(b) Surviving Spouses Eligible for the Gold Star Lapel Buttion.--
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe such regulations as may be
necessary to provide that a surviving spouse eligible for the gold star
lapel button under section 1126 of this title is entitled to commissary
and exchange privileges to the same extent and on the same basis as the
surviving spouse of a retired member of the uniformed services.''.
(2) Certain morale, welfare, and recreation privileges.--
(A) In general.--Chapter 54 of title 10, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``Sec. 1066. Use of commissary stores and MWR facilities: surviving
spouses eligible for the gold star lapel button
``(a) Eligibility of Surviving Spouses Eligible for the Gold Star
Lapel Button.--A surviving spouse who is eligible for a gold star lapel
button under section 1126 of this title shall be permitted to use
commissary stores and MWR retail facilities on the same basis as the
dependent of a member of the armed forces on active duty.
``(b) MWR Retail Facilities Defined.--In this section, the term
`MWR retail facilities' has the meaning given that term in section 1063
of this title.''.
(B) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at
the beginning of chapter 54 of title 10, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
item:
``1066. Use of commissary stores and MWR facilities: surviving spouses
eligible for the gold star lapel button.''.
(3) Eligibility for medical and dental care.--Paragraph (2)
of section 1072 of title 10, United States Code, is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (I)(v), by striking the period
at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(J) A surviving spouse who is eligible for a gold
star lapel button under section 1126 of this title.''.
(4) Entitlement to medical and dental care.--Section
1076(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(F) A surviving spouse who is eligible for a gold
star lapel button under section 1126 of this title.''.
(c) Department of Veterans Affairs.--
(1) Special marriage provisions.--Section 103(d)(2) of
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following new subparagraph:
``(C) The remarriage of the surviving spouse of a veteran shall not
bar the furnishing of non-monetary benefits to such surviving spouse if
such surviving spouse is eligible for a gold star lapel button under
section 1126 of title 10.''.
(2) Eligibility for housing and small business loans.--
Section 3701(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(8) The term `veteran' also includes an individual who
is--
``(A) the surviving spouse of a veteran; and
``(B) eligible for a gold star lapel button under
section 1126 of title 10.''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply beginning on the first day of the first month beginning after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
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