[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1314 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1314

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the definition of 
    spouse and surviving spouse to include all individuals lawfully 
                    married, and for other purposes.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 26, 2023

  Mr. Peters (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

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                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the definition of 
    spouse and surviving spouse to include all individuals lawfully 
                    married, 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. MODIFICATION OF DEFINITION OF SPOUSE AND SURVIVING SPOUSE 
              FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO INCLUDE ALL 
              INDIVIDUALS LAWFULLY MARRIED.

    (a) In General.--Section 101 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``of the opposite sex who 
        was the spouse of a veteran'' and inserting ``who was lawfully 
        married to a veteran, including a marriage between two persons 
        of the same sex,''; and
            (2) in paragraph (31), by striking ``of the opposite sex''.
    (b) Modification of Regulations.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall update all rules and regulations of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs to ensure compliance with--
            (1) the amendments made by subsection (a); and
            (2) section 7 of title 1, United States Code.
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