I 
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 fol-
lowing 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 jurisdic-
tion 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 Representa-
tives 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’’. 
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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 amend-
ed 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 mem-
ber 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 
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that a surviving spouse eligible for the gold star lapel but-
ton under section 1126 of this title is entitled to com-
missary 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 RECRE-
ATION PRIVILEGES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 54 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 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 com-
missary stores and MWR retail facilities on the same basis 
as the dependent of a member of the armed forces on ac-
tive 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 
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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 amend-
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ed by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(C) The remarriage of the surviving spouse of a vet-
eran 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 indi-
vidual 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. 
Æ 
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