[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 181 (Tuesday, November 7, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H8545]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      GOLD STAR FAMILY SUPPORT AND INSTALLATION ACCESS ACT OF 2017

  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on 
Armed Services be discharged from further consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 3897) to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the 
issuance of the Gold Star Installation Access Card to the surviving 
spouse, dependent children, and other next of kin of a member of the 
Armed Forces who dies while serving on certain active or reserve duty, 
to ensure that a remarried surviving spouse with dependent children of 
the deceased member remains eligible for installation benefits to which 
the surviving spouse was previously eligible, and for other purposes, 
and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Moolenaar). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Nebraska?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3897

       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 Family Support and 
     Installation Access Act of 2017''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Since World War I, the gold star symbol has been used 
     by American families to honor members of the Armed Forces who 
     have given their lives in service to the Nation.
       (2) Surviving families of deceased members of the Armed 
     Forces confront many challenges, often made worse by policies 
     that fail to compassionately honor the memory of their loved 
     one's service and sacrifice to the Nation.
       (3) There is an obligation to ensure that the Gold Star 
     family connections to the military community remain an 
     eternal bond providing strength and comfort to surviving 
     family members and to those still serving.
       (4) Individual military services have recognized the need 
     to provide installation access to Gold Star families to 
     attend memorial events, visit gravesites, and access other 
     benefits for which family members are eligible and entitled.
       (5) Surviving families of deceased members of the Armed 
     Forces relocate to other parts of the country, often far away 
     from the service installation where their loved one last 
     served.
       (6) Current Department of Defense policy rescinds on-base 
     benefits to surviving spouses of deceased service members who 
     remarry, even when dependent children under the guardianship 
     of the surviving spouse remain eligible for benefits, 
     effectively rendering these benefits inaccessible by the 
     children of the deceased member.

     SEC. 3. ISSUANCE OF GOLD STAR INSTALLATION ACCESS CARDS.

       (a) Issuance and Conditions on Use.--
       (1) In general.--Chapter 57 of title 10, United States 
     Code, is amended by inserting after section 1126 the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 1126a. Gold Star Installation Access Card: issuance 
       and protections

       ``(a) Issuance to Gold Star Surviving Spouse and Dependent 
     Children of Deceased Member Required.--The Secretary 
     concerned shall provide for the issuance of a standardized 
     Gold Star Installation Access Card to the widow and dependent 
     children of a deceased member of the armed forces described 
     in section 1126(a) of this title to facilitate their ability 
     to gain unescorted access to military installations for the 
     purpose of attending memorial events, visiting gravesites, 
     and obtaining the on-installation services and benefits to 
     which they are entitled or eligible.
       ``(b) Issuance to Other Next of Kin Authorized.--At the 
     discretion of the Secretary concerned, the Secretary 
     concerned may provide the Gold Star Installation Access Card 
     to the parents and other next of kin of a deceased member of 
     the armed forces described in section 1126(a) of this title.
       ``(c) Service-Wide Acceptance of Access Card.--The 
     Secretaries concerned shall work together to ensure that a 
     Gold Star Installation Access Card issued by one armed force 
     is accepted for access to military installations under the 
     jurisdiction of another armed force.
       ``(d) Protection of Installation Security.--In developing, 
     issuing, and accepting the Gold Star Installation Access 
     Card, the Secretary concerned may take such measures as the 
     Secretary concerned considers necessary--
       ``(1) to prevent fraud in the procurement or use of the 
     Gold Star Installation Access Card;
       ``(2) to limit installation access to those areas of the 
     installation that provide the services and benefits for which 
     the recipient of the Gold Star Installation Access Card is 
     entitled or eligible; and
       ``(3) to ensure that the availability and use of the Gold 
     Star Installation Access Card does not adversely affect 
     military installation security.
       ``(e) Termination.--The Gold Star Installation Access Card 
     for the widow and dependent children of a deceased member of 
     the armed forces shall remain valid for the life of the widow 
     or child, regardless of subsequent marital status of the 
     widow, subject to periodic renewal as determined by the 
     Secretary concerned to ensure military installation 
     security.''.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is 
     amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1126 
     the following new item:

``1126a. Gold Star Installation Access Card: issuance and 
              protections.''.

       (b) Applicability of Current Definitions.--Section 1126(d) 
     of title 10, United States Code is amended by striking the 
     matter preceding paragraph (1) and inserting the following: 
     ``In this section and section 1126a of this title:''.

     SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF COMMISSARY AND EXCHANGE BENEFITS FOR 
                   REMARRIED SPOUSES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN.

       (a) Benefits.--Section 1062 of title 10, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``The Secretary of Defense'' and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(a) Certain Unremarried Former Spouses.--The Secretary of 
     Defense''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(b) Certain Remarried Surviving Spouses.--The Secretary 
     of Defense shall prescribe such regulations as may be 
     necessary to provide that a surviving spouse of a deceased 
     member of the armed forces, regardless of the marital status 
     of the surviving spouse, who has guardianship of dependent 
     children of the deceased member is entitled to use commissary 
     stores and MWR retail facilities to the same extent and on 
     the same basis as the unremarried surviving spouse of a 
     member of the uniformed services.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 1062 of title 10, 
     United States Code, is further amended--
       (1) by striking ``commissary and exchange privileges'' and 
     inserting ``use commissary stores and MWR retail 
     facilities''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(c) MWR Retail Facilities.--The term `MWR retail 
     facilities' has the meaning given that term in section 
     1063(e) of this title.''.
       (c) Clerical Amendments.--
       (1) Section heading.--The heading of section 1062 of title 
     10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 1062. Certain former spouses and surviving spouses''.

       (2) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 54 of title 10, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking the item relating to section 1062 and 
     inserting the following new item:

``1062. Certain former spouses and surviving spouses.''.

  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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