Gold Star Family Support and Installation Access Act of 2017
This bill directs the appropriate military department to issue a standardized Gold Star Installation Access Card to the widow and dependent children of a deceased member of the Armed Forces to allow them to gain unescorted access to military installations to attend memorial events, visit gravesites, and obtain on-installation services and benefits.
The Department of Defense shall prescribe regulations to provide that a surviving spouse of a deceased member, regardless of martial status, who has guardianship of dependent children of the deceased member, is entitled to use commissary stores and MWR retail facilities to the same extent and on the same basis as the unremarried spouse of a member of the uniformed services.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3897 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3897
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the issuance of
the Gold Star Installation Access Card to the surviving spouse,
dependent children, and other next of kin of a member of the Armed
Forces who dies while serving on certain active or reserve duty, to
ensure that a remarried surviving spouse with dependent children of the
deceased member remains eligible for installation benefits to which the
surviving spouse was previously eligible, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 2, 2017
Mr. Bacon (for himself, Mr. Russell, Mr. Mast, Mr. Carbajal, Mr.
Panetta, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Ms. McSally, and Mr. Dunn)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the issuance of
the Gold Star Installation Access Card to the surviving spouse,
dependent children, and other next of kin of a member of the Armed
Forces who dies while serving on certain active or reserve duty, to
ensure that a remarried surviving spouse with dependent children of the
deceased member remains eligible for installation benefits to which the
surviving spouse was previously eligible, 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 Family Support and
Installation Access Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Since World War I, the gold star symbol has been used
by American families to honor members of the Armed Forces who
have given their lives in service to the Nation.
(2) Surviving families of deceased members of the Armed
Forces confront many challenges, often made worse by policies
that fail to compassionately honor the memory of their loved
one's service and sacrifice to the Nation.
(3) There is an obligation to ensure that the Gold Star
family connections to the military community remain an eternal
bond providing strength and comfort to surviving family members
and to those still serving.
(4) Individual military services have recognized the need
to provide installation access to Gold Star families to attend
memorial events, visit gravesites, and access other benefits
for which family members are eligible and entitled.
(5) Surviving families of deceased members of the Armed
Forces relocate to other parts of the country, often far away
from the service installation where their loved one last
served.
(6) Current Department of Defense policy rescinds on-base
benefits to surviving spouses of deceased service members who
remarry, even when dependent children under the guardianship of
the surviving spouse remain eligible for benefits, effectively
rendering these benefits inaccessible by the children of the
deceased member.
SEC. 3. ISSUANCE OF GOLD STAR INSTALLATION ACCESS CARDS.
(a) Issuance and Conditions on Use.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 57 of title 10, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 1126 the following
new section:
``Sec. 1126a. Gold Star Installation Access Card: issuance and
protections
``(a) Issuance to Gold Star Surviving Spouse and Dependent Children
of Deceased Member Required.--The Secretary concerned shall provide for
the issuance of a standardized Gold Star Installation Access Card to
the widow and dependent children of a deceased member of the armed
forces described in section 1126(a) of this title to facilitate their
ability to gain unescorted access to military installations for the
purpose of attending memorial events, visiting gravesites, and
obtaining the on-installation services and benefits to which they are
entitled or eligible.
``(b) Issuance to Other Next of Kin Authorized.--At the discretion
of the Secretary concerned, the Secretary concerned may provide the
Gold Star Installation Access Card to the parents and other next of kin
of a deceased member of the armed forces described in section 1126(a)
of this title.
``(c) Service-Wide Acceptance of Access Card.--The Secretaries
concerned shall work together to ensure that a Gold Star Installation
Access Card issued by one armed force is accepted for access to
military installations under the jurisdiction of another armed force.
``(d) Protection of Installation Security.--In developing, issuing,
and accepting the Gold Star Installation Access Card, the Secretary
concerned may take such measures as the Secretary concerned considers
necessary--
``(1) to prevent fraud in the procurement or use of the
Gold Star Installation Access Card;
``(2) to limit installation access to those areas of the
installation that provide the services and benefits for which
the recipient of the Gold Star Installation Access Card is
entitled or eligible; and
``(3) to ensure that the availability and use of the Gold
Star Installation Access Card does not adversely affect
military installation security.
``(e) Termination.--The Gold Star Installation Access Card for the
widow and dependent children of a deceased member of the armed forces
shall remain valid for the life of the widow or child, regardless of
subsequent marital status of the widow, subject to periodic renewal as
determined by the Secretary concerned to ensure military installation
security.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1126
the following new item:
``1126a. Gold Star Installation Access Card: issuance and
protections.''.
(b) Applicability of Current Definitions.--Section 1126(d) of title
10, United States Code is amended by striking the matter preceding
paragraph (1) and inserting the following: ``In this section and
section 1126a of this title:''.
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF COMMISSARY AND EXCHANGE BENEFITS FOR REMARRIED
SPOUSES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN.
(a) Benefits.--Section 1062 of title 10, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by striking ``The Secretary of Defense'' and inserting
the following:
``(a) Certain Unremarried Former Spouses.--The Secretary of
Defense''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(b) Certain Remarried Surviving Spouses.--The Secretary of
Defense shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to provide
that a surviving spouse of a deceased member of the armed forces,
regardless of the marital status of the surviving spouse, who has
guardianship of dependent children of the deceased member is entitled
to use commissary stores and MWR retail facilities to the same extent
and on the same basis as the unremarried surviving spouse of a member
of the uniformed services.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 1062 of title 10, United States
Code, is further amended--
(1) by striking ``commissary and exchange privileges'' and
inserting ``use commissary stores and MWR retail facilities'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(c) MWR Retail Facilities.--The term `MWR retail facilities' has
the meaning given that term in section 1063(e) of this title.''.
(c) Clerical Amendments.--
(1) Section heading.--The heading of section 1062 of title
10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 1062. Certain former spouses and surviving spouses''.
(2) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 54 of title 10, United States Code, is
amended by striking the item relating to section 1062 and
inserting the following new item:
``1062. Certain former spouses and surviving spouses.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Mr. Bacon asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
Committee on Armed Services discharged.
Committee on Armed Services discharged.
Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H8545)
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.(text: CR H8545)
On passage Passed without objection. (text: CR H8545)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
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