[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 7 (Monday, January 22, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S402-S405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CLELAND:
  S. 129. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for 
the payment of a monthly stipend to the surviving parents (known as 
``Gold Star Parents'') of members of the Armed Forces who die during a 
period of war; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


                     gold star parents annuity act

  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Gold Star 
Parents Annuity Act. The use of the Gold Star to denote the death of a 
service member or members in a family was started during World War I by 
President Woodrow Wilson. The idea behind the Gold Star was that it 
could symbolize the family's devotion and pride in the ultimate 
sacrifice for their country made by their family member instead of the 
sense of personal loss that is represented by the traditional mourning 
symbols.
  The Gold Star Parents Annuity Act provides for an annuity of $125 a 
month payable to each individual who has received a Gold Star Lapel 
pin, which is awarded to parents who have had a child die honorably in 
service to our country. Payments are to be divided equally among 
parents when there is more than one surviving parent. The receipt of 
this pension will not deprive anyone of the right to any other 
pensions, benefit, right or privilege that

[[Page S405]]

they are entitled to under any existing or future law. Furthermore, 
these special pension payments will not be subject to any attachment, 
execution, levy, tax lien or detention under any process. I believe 
this measure would provide a needed increase in income for many parents 
who have lost children in service to our country.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 129

       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 Parents Annuity 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. SPECIAL PENSION FOR GOLD STAR PARENTS.

       (a) In General.--(1) Chapter 15 of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subchapter:

         ``SUBCHAPTER V--SPECIAL PENSION FOR GOLD STAR PARENTS

     ``Sec. 1571. Gold Star parents

       ``(a) The Secretary shall pay monthly to each person who 
     has received a Gold Star lapel button under section 1126 of 
     title 10 as a parent of a person who died in a manner 
     described in subsection (a) of that section a special pension 
     in an amount determined under subsection (b).
       ``(b) The amount of special pension payable under this 
     section with respect to the death of any person shall be $125 
     per month. In any case in which there is more than one parent 
     eligible for special pension under this section with respect 
     to the death of a person, the Secretary shall divide the 
     payment equally among those eligible parents.
       ``(c) The receipt of special pension under this section 
     shall not deprive any person of any other pension or other 
     benefit, right, or privilege to which such person is or may 
     hereafter be entitled under any existing or subsequent law. 
     Special pension under this section shall be paid in addition 
     to all other payments under laws of the United States.
       ``(d) Special pension under this section shall not be 
     subject to any attachment, execution, levy, tax lien, or 
     detention under any process whatever.
       ``(e) For purposes of this section, the term `parent' has 
     the meaning provided in section 1126(d)(2) of title 10.''.
       (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:

         ``subchapter v--special pension for gold star parents

``1571. Gold Star parents.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--Section 1571 of title 38, United 
     States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on 
     October 1, 2001.
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