Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Captain James C. Edge Gold Star Spouse Equity Act”.
Captain James C. Edge Gold Star Spouse Equity Act
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.
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—
by striking “An annuity” and inserting “(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), an annuity”; and
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(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 annuity 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
In general— Section 103(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
in paragraph (2)(B), by adding at the end the following: “The remarriage of a surviving spouse shall not bar the furnishing of benefits under section 1311 of this title to the surviving spouse of a veteran.”; and
in paragraph (5), by striking subparagraph (A) and renumbering subparagraphs (B) through (E) as subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively.
Resumption of payments to certain individuals previously denied dependency and indemnity 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—
is the surviving spouse of a veteran; and
remarried before—
reaching age 57; and
the date of the enactment of this Act.