I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 854 

To amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to expand certain benefits 

for surviving spouses of members of the Armed Forces who die in 

line of duty, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2023 

Mr. WALTZ (for himself, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. BACON, and Mr. CROW) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 

Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 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 amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to expand 

certain benefits for surviving spouses of members of the 

Armed Forces who die in line of duty, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Captain James C. 

5 Edge Gold Star Spouse Equity Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY FOR SURVIVOR BENEFIT 

2 PLAN FOR CERTAIN SURVIVING SPOUSES 

3 WHO REMARRY. 

4 Section 1450(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code, 

5 is amended— 

6 (1) by striking ‘‘An annuity’’ and inserting 

7 ‘‘(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), an annuity’’; and 

8 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub9 paragraph: 

10 ‘‘(B) The Secretary may not terminate payment 

11 of an annuity for a surviving spouse described in 

12 subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 1448(d)(1) solely 

13 because that surviving spouse remarries. In the case 

14 of a surviving spouse who remarried before reaching 

15 age 55 and before the date of the enactment of the 

16 Captain James C. Edge Gold Star Spouse Equity 

17 Act, the Secretary shall resume payment of the an18 nuity to that surviving spouse for each month after 

19 the date of the enactment of that Act.’’. 

20 SEC. 3. CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPENDENCY AND 

21 INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVING 

22 SPOUSES WHO REMARRY. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 103(d) of title 38, United 

24 States Code, is amended— 

25 (1) in paragraph (2)(B), by adding at the end 

26 the following: ‘‘The remarriage of a surviving spouse 


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1 shall not bar the furnishing of benefits under section 

2 1311 of this title to the surviving spouse of a vet3 eran.’’; and 

4 (2) in paragraph (5), by striking subparagraph 

5 (A) and renumbering subparagraphs (B) through 

6 (E) as subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively. 

7 (b) RESUMPTION OF PAYMENTS TO CERTAIN INDI8 VIDUALS PREVIOUSLY DENIED DEPENDENCY AND IN9 DEMNITY COMPENSATION.—Beginning on the first day of 

10 the first month after the date of the enactment of this 

11 Act, the Secretary shall resume payment of dependency 

12 and indemnity compensation under section 1311 of such 

13 title to each living individual who— 

14 (1) is the surviving spouse of a veteran; and 

15 (2) remarried before— 

16 (A) reaching age 57; and 

17 (B) the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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