PASSED THE SENATE: Senators Hassan, Cassidy, Kelly, and Schmitt’s Bipartisan Bill to Support Gold Star Spouses

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed last night a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) to expand access to job counseling services for Gold Star and surviving spouses. The Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act increases access to job counseling services for surviving spouses – spouses of service members who died while serving in the military – through the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program, a program housed within the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service at the Department of Labor. The program provides every state with funding to hire dedicated workforce specialists to provide individualized career counseling support with localized knowledge to eligible veterans, and the Senators’ bill expands access to these services to surviving spouses.

“We owe it to the families of fallen service members to do all that we can to support them after their devastating loss,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan bill will ensure that surviving spouses have access to job counseling services and will help address some of the employment challenges that the families of those who have served face. I urge my colleagues in the House to work with us to get this commonsense bill across the finish line as part of our ongoing efforts to live up to our promise to support military families.”

“The families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice deserve the best we have to offer,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Passing this bill is the first step toward ensuring Gold Star spouses always have access to the services they need.”

“I am pleased the Senate passed this important bill that honored our commitment to the families of service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Kelly. “Expanding access to these resources will provide critical support to families navigating unimaginable loss, helping them secure good-paying jobs and stability for their futures. I’m proud to see this bipartisan effort move closer to becoming law.” 

“This bill is a common sense, bi-partisan step forward to make sure the families of those who gave their lives for our country are able to receive the services they need. I’m proud to join Senator Hassan on this effort, and I’m hopeful we can continue work together to support our Gold Star families,” said Senator Eric Schmitt.

This bipartisan bill is part of Senator Hassan’s ongoing work to support service members, veterans, and their families. She introduced the Military Spouse Hiring Act to help boost hiring of military spouses. Senator Hassan helped develop and pass into law the PACT Act, which fundamentally reforms and improves how veterans exposed to toxic substances receive health care and benefits from the VA. Senator Hassan also helped pass into law comprehensive, bipartisan retirement security legislation, including provisions she authored with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), to help military families save for retirement. Additionally, Senator Hassan introduced and passed into law the bipartisan Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act, which expanded parental leave eligibility for Reserve and National Guard members to cover all new parents.

###