I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5036 
To amend titles 36 and 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs to carry out actions for certain surviving family 
members of veterans deceased as the result of suicide, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 13, 2021 
Mr. VAN DREW introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary, 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 amend titles 36 and 38, United States Code, to direct 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out actions 
for certain surviving family members of veterans de-
ceased as the result of suicide, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. GREEN STAR FLAG FOR NEXT OF KIN OF VET-
ERANS DECEASED AS RESULT OF SUICIDE. 
(a) GREEN STAR FLAG.—Chapter 9 of title 36, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 904. Green Star Flag 
‘‘(a) DESIGNATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall design and designate a flag as the Green Star 
Flag to identify next of kin of covered veterans. 
‘‘(b) INDIVIDUALS ENTITLED TO DISPLAY GREEN 
STAR FLAG.—An individual who is next of kin of a cov-
ered veteran may display the Green Star Flag. 
‘‘(c) LICENSE TO MANUFACTURE AND SELL.—Any 
person may apply to the Secretary for a license to manu-
facture and sell the designated Green Star Flag. A person 
that manufactures a Green Star Flag without having first 
obtained a license or otherwise violates this section is lia-
ble to the United States for a civil penalty of not more 
than $1,000. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered veteran’ means a vet-
eran who died— 
‘‘(A) on or after September 11, 2001; and 
‘‘(B) as the result of suicide. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘next of kin’ includes— 
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‘‘(A) a family member, as that term is de-
fined in section 1720K of title 38; and 
‘‘(B) any individual specified by the Sec-
retary in regulations prescribed pursuant to this 
section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘904. Green Star Flag.’’. 
SEC. 2. COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN FAMILY 
MEMBERS AND CAREGIVERS OF VETERANS 
DECEASED AS A RESULT OF SUICIDE. 
(a) COUNSELING PROGRAM.—Subchapter II of chap-
ter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1720K. Counseling program for certain family 
members and caregivers of veterans de-
ceased as a result of suicide 
‘‘(a) COUNSELING PROGRAM.—(1) Subject to para-
graph (2), the Secretary shall furnish, at no cost to the 
recipient, counseling services to— 
‘‘(A) the next of kin of covered veterans; and 
‘‘(B) former volunteer caregivers of covered vet-
erans. 
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‘‘(2) The Secretary may provide counseling services 
under this section only if the Secretary determines such 
counseling services are— 
‘‘(A) reasonably accessible to the an individual 
described in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(B) substantially equivalent or superior to 
similar services furnished by the Secretary to an in-
dividual described in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) To carry out subsection (a), the Secretary may 
enter into an agreement with a Federal, State, or private 
entity. The Secretary may provide fair compensation to 
such entity pursuant to such agreement. 
‘‘(b) PUBLIC AWARENESS.—In carrying out the pro-
gram under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) publish information relating to the pro-
gram on an internet website of the Department; and 
‘‘(2) provide information relating to the pro-
gram to any individual described in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The terms ‘covered veteran’ and ‘next of 
kin’ has the meaning given that term in section 904 
of title 36. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘covered veterans service organi-
zation’ includes— 
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‘‘(A) an organization recognized by the 
Secretary for the representation of veterans 
under section 5902 of this title; and 
‘‘(B) an organization— 
‘‘(i) that is described in section 
501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from 
taxation under section 501(a) of such 
Code; and 
‘‘(ii) that carries out activities relating 
to veterans and their assistance. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘family member’ means, with re-
spect to a covered veteran, an individual— 
‘‘(A) who is a member of the family of the 
veteran, including— 
‘‘(i) a parent or legal guardian; 
‘‘(ii) a spouse; 
‘‘(iii) a child; 
‘‘(iv) a step-family member; and 
‘‘(v) an extended family member; or 
‘‘(B) who, prior to the death of the covered 
veteran, lived with the covered veteran. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘former volunteer caregiver’ 
means, with respect to a covered veteran, an indi-
vidual— 
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‘‘(A) who is at least 18 years of age; and 
‘‘(B) who, prior to the death of the covered 
veteran, and in connection with a covered vet-
erans service organization, furnished the cov-
ered veteran with counseling, social work, or 
other personal care services— 
‘‘(i) without compensation to such in-
dividual; and 
‘‘(ii) for a period of at least three 
months. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘personal care services’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 1720G of this 
title.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of subchapter II of chapter 17 of such 
title is amended by inserting, after the item relating to 
section 1720J, the following new item: 
‘‘1720K. Counseling program for certain family members and caregivers of vet-
erans deceased as a result of suicide.’’. 
(c) COMMENCEMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall carry out section 1720K of such title, as 
added by subsection (a), by not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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