Rep. Mark Green reintroduces Protecting Gold Star Spouses Act

Misty Severi

April 05, 08:00 AM April 05, 08:01 AM

EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) reintroduced a bill on Wednesday that honors the spouses of those who died while serving in the United States armed forces.

The bill, titled the Protecting Gold Star Spouses Act, ensures that no Gold Star family misses a payment, even during a lapse in federal appropriations. The bill was introduced on Gold Star Spouses Day and was previously introduced in the 116th and 117th Congresses.

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“Designation as a Gold Star Spouse or Child is a designation no one covets," Green exclusively told the Washington Examiner. "As a nation, we made a promise to care for our fallen heroes’ spouses and children. Lapses in appropriations should never impact Gold Star Families. We owe our warriors the peace of mind that their family is cared for if tragedy strikes. No Gold Star Family should fear for their financial security due to Congress’ inability to pass government funding.”

Green is a combat veteran himself, having served in the U.S. Army and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Green serves as chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security and is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The bill specifically addresses members of the Coast Guard, who are not part of the Department of Defense but rather the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime. During times of war, members of the Coast Guard are commandeered by the U.S. Navy. But because members of the Coast Guard are part of the DHS, they do not automatically receive all veteran benefits that DoD veterans receive and have been excluded from some legislation in the past.

“Members of the Coast Guard do some of the most dangerous work in the Armed Forces," Green said when introducing the bill in 2021. "The Coast Guard protects the United States’ economic, national, and border security—their work allows us to sleep more soundly at night. My bill will make sure that these families continue receiving stipends via the Survivor Benefits Plan (SBP) even when there is a lapse in appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security."

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced a bill last month that corrects a lapse in a 2016 tax break that excluded Coast Guard families.

“Our servicemembers are the best of us, and the Coast Guard is no exception. It’s our duty to ensure all veterans receive the benefits they deserve,” Warnock said. “Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and Capitol should be eager to get this done.”

The term "gold star" refers to the color of a star on the service flag that started in World War I. The flag had a blue star for every immediate family member serving in the armed forces during a period of war or hostility. If one of the loved ones in the military died, the blue star was replaced by a gold star, which allowed other service members' families to know the price the family paid in the fight for freedom.

“Our nation is a shining city on a hill known across the globe as ‘land of the free and home of the brave.’ And we have our military men and women, especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, to thank for it," Green said in an advanced copy of the press release shared with the Washington Examiner. "The families they leave behind, Gold Star Spouses and Children, need to know they will never be forgotten. My legislation protects Gold Star Spouses by ensuring they receive stipends from the federal government, even during a lapse in appropriations. Every Gold Star Family reminds us that freedom comes at a cost, and we must not take it for granted.”

Gold star families and spouses are eligible for certain benefits, including different forms of monetary compensation, life insurance for spouses, burial and funeral services, counseling, and specific scholarship opportunities targeted at survivors. There are other options that a current living service member can arrange in the case of their death.

For a full list of benefits, click here.

Incoming congressional members include 19 veterans

Tori Richards

December 31, 04:00 AM December 31, 04:00 AM

Veterans will have a big presence in the 118th Congress as 19 newly elected veteran members will join the ranks of high-profile military advocates like Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Reps. Jim Banks (R-IN) and Brian Mast (R-FL).

The new slate includes the first black West Point graduates along with two women, which will bring the number of serving female veterans to seven.

Sixteen of the incoming veterans are Republican. They will all join the House except for J.D. Vance of Ohio, who was elected to the Senate.

"Working with somebody who you build that trust with, at West Point and at war, will be essential to move this nation forward," Rep. John James (R-MI) told Politico.

James flew 750 combat hours in Iraq while serving as an Army Ranger. He ran for the Senate in 2018 and 2020 before securing a victory in the House this year.

“Diversity in the Republican Party is not the best,” Rep.-elect Wesley Hunt (R-TX) said to the New York Times. “If you don’t have people like me, and women, stepping up and saying it’s actually OK to be a person of color, then we’re going to lose the next generation.”

Hunt’s service mirrors James's: They both graduated from West Point in 2004, and Hunt was an Apache pilot in Iraq with an additional deployment to Saudi Arabia.

The women who were elected are Jen Kiggans (VA) and Anna Paulina Luna (FL) — both Republicans.

Kiggans was a Navy pilot deployed to the Persian Gulf, and Luna served stateside as an airfield manager for the Air Force.

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Two other high-profile members joining Congress are retired Navy SEALs: Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, who attended the Jan. 6 Trump rally but left before the mob descended on the Capitol, and Ryan Zinke of Montana, who served in the Trump administration as interior secretary. Both are Republican representatives, Military.com reported.

Pew Research looked at the new Congress and found that 80 House members and 17 senators will be veterans. Only seven in the group will be women. They range in age from being in their 30s (9) to 80s (3) with the majority in their 40s (31).