Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Politics

Honoring Gold Star families: Bipartisan support for Love Lives On Act of 2023

by May 27, 2023
May 27, 2023
Honoring Gold Star families: Bipartisan support for Love Lives On Act of 2023

With the sunset of the ‘Widow’s Tax’ earlier this year, Gold Star families are seeking to end another vestige of military family life: a remarriage penalty. 

The Love Lives On Act of 2023, introduced in the House of Representatives this week by congressional representatives Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and Richard Hudson, R-N.C., would allow Gold Star spouses to retain their survivors benefits after remarrying.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, surviving spouses only remarry in 5% of cases, citing financial concerns about losing benefits.

A surviving spouse must wait until the age of 55 to remarry and still retain survivor benefits like TRICARE or the Fry Scholarship. 

Advocates of the Love Lives on Act claim that the current statute is stunting both the personal and professional goals of Gold Star spouses, many of whom rely on benefits to support their children after the loss of their service member. 

A House of Representatives cosponsor, Congressman Dean Phillips, D-Minn., is a Gold Star son whose mother remarried after his father, U.S. Army Capt. Artie Pfefer, died in the Vietnam War.

‘Spouses of those who die in service to our nation make unimaginable sacrifices and deserve unending respect and support in return,’ Phillips said. ‘The  Love Lives on Act  is part of my mission to ensure military families have access to every single benefit they are owed.’

The bill was also cosponsored in the House this week by the Republican Congressman from North Carolina who represents Fort Bragg, Richard Hudson.

‘We must support surviving spouses who choose to remarry and remove the fear of losing the benefits paid for by their late spouses’ sacrifice,’ Hudson said.

In the Senate, the bill was cosponsored by senators Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.

‘I have heard from surviving spouses in my state who desire to remarry and provide their children with a father or mother figure but feel they must put off marriage because the financial risk of losing their benefits is too great,’ Moran, the lead senator on the Veterans Affairs Committee, told Fox News Digital.

Warnock, who also cosponsored the bill in April, noted the timing of the bill’s introduction. 

‘As our nation comes together to commemorate Memorial Day, it’s important for all of us to remember that it’s not just service members who show up,’ Warnock said. ‘Their families make tremendous sacrifices for our country as well.’

‘As our nation comes together to commemorate Memorial Day, it’s important for all of us to remember that it’s not just service members who show up. Their families make tremendous sacrifices for our country as well.’

— Sen. Raphael Warnock

Current VA law declares that a Gold Star spouse is no longer the responsibility of the military once he or she remarries, which includes health care. A spokesperson for the Department of Defense confirmed in an email with Fox News Digital that ‘TRICARE benefits for [a] surviving spouse end when they remarry.’

Amy Dozier is a surviving spouse of SFC Jonathan Dozier, and the Love Lives On Act would benefit her if signed into law.

‘To remarry would mean to lose the benefits I paid into and earned as Jonathan’s wife and now widow,’ Dozier said.

‘The downstream effect, especially in this economy, would be detrimental not only to our financial stability, but, more importantly, to the growth [my daughter and I] continue to have on this journey.’

‘Choosing to remarry should not impact a surviving spouse’s ability to pay bills. They should not have to choose between another chance at love and financial security,’ TAPS, or Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, added in an email to Fox News Digital.

The Love Lives On Act of 2023 awaits a vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate ahead of Memorial Day Weekend and the annual congressional recess. 

Jasmine is a Freelance Digital Production Assistant at Fox News Digital. Stories can be sent to jasmine.baehr@fox.com

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Biden Education Department worried AI in the classroom might be used to spy on teachers
next post
RFK Jr. remains thorn in Biden’s side as 2024 polls show Kennedy holding onto sizable chunk of Dem voters

You may also like

Jeffries and the Democrats are sitting pretty amid...

October 21, 2023

Supreme Court sides with fishermen in landmark case...

June 28, 2024

Supreme Court takes up religious freedom case involving...

January 14, 2023

Newsom travels to banned red states with new...

April 4, 2023

Pakistan prepares for pivotal election as one of...

February 8, 2024

House takes key test vote for Johnson’s $95B...

April 20, 2024

Trump, Putin discussed possible prisoner swap involving 9...

May 20, 2025

BREAKING: Russia Unleashes Hell on Ukrainian Targets including...

October 10, 2022

Top Republican presses Biden admin over apparent manipulation...

June 6, 2023

HORROR: Marxist Ghouls at NPR Play Shocking Audio...

November 3, 2022

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Trump wins over lifelong Democrat autoworker with ‘big, beautiful bill’ vehicle loan tax benefit

      June 27, 2025
    • EXCLUSIVE: Trump admin takes action after massive fraud uncovered at agency Dems tried to protect from DOGE

      June 26, 2025
    • FBI investigating Iran strike leaker, Leavitt says: ‘They should be held accountable’

      June 26, 2025
    • SMCI Stock Surges: How to Invest Wisely Now

      June 26, 2025
    • NEW! 5 Significant Additions to Our Professionally-Curated Market Summary Dashboard

      June 26, 2025
    • ‘Presidential incapacity’: Senate Republican seeks paper trail of Biden’s autopen use

      June 26, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,316)
    • Investing (2,074)
    • Politics (15,824)
    • Stocks (3,172)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved