I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2827 
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 
APRIL 22, 2021 
Mr. WALTZ (for himself, Mr. MOULTON, and Mr. CROW) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and 
in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be sub-
sequently 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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Captain James C. 
Edge Gold Star Spouse Equity Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:39 Jun 08, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2827.IH
H2827
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY FOR SURVIVOR BENEFIT 
PLAN FOR CERTAIN SURVIVING SPOUSES 
WHO REMARRY. 
Section 1450(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘An annuity’’ and inserting 
‘‘(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), an annuity’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) The Secretary may not terminate payment 
of an annuity for a surviving spouse described in 
subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 1448(d)(1) solely 
because that surviving spouse remarries. In the case 
of a surviving spouse who remarried before reaching 
age 55 and before the date of the enactment of the 
Captain James C. Edge Gold Star Spouse Equity 
Act, the Secretary shall resume payment of the an-
nuity to that surviving spouse for each month after 
the date of the enactment of that Act.’’. 
SEC. 3. CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPENDENCY AND 
INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVING 
SPOUSES WHO REMARRY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 103(d) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(B), by adding at the end 
the following: ‘‘The remarriage of a surviving spouse 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:39 Jun 08, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2827.IH
H2827
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
shall not bar the furnishing of benefits under section 
1311 of this title to the surviving spouse of a vet-
eran.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (5), by striking subparagraph 
(A) and renumbering subparagraphs (B) through 
(E) as subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively. 
(b) RESUMPTION OF PAYMENTS TO CERTAIN INDI-
VIDUALS PREVIOUSLY DENIED DEPENDENCY AND IN-
DEMNITY COMPENSATION.—Beginning on the first day of 
the first month after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall resume payment of dependency 
and indemnity compensation under section 1311 of such 
title to each living individual who— 
(1) is the surviving spouse of a veteran; and 
(2) remarried before— 
(A) reaching age 57; and 
(B) the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:39 Jun 08, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2827.IH
H2827
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS