Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act
Summary
H.R. 3031, the Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act, would create career support services for families of deceased service members and surviving military spouses. The bill addresses employment and career development needs of these populations, who may face unique challenges in the job market after losing a service member. If enacted, the legislation would establish programs to help Gold Star families and surviving spouses access job training, employment assistance, and career counseling services. The bill is currently under committee consideration following subcommittee hearings held in June 2025 and has not yet been voted on by the full House.
AI-generated summary
Lifecycle of the Bill
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
May 12, 2025
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Jun 11, 2025
Jun 11, 2025 · 14:00
Legislative Hearing on: H.R. 2334, To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to preempt any squatter’s rights established by State law regarding real property owned by a member of the uniformed services; H.R. 2791, To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the maximum amount of housing loan guaranty entitlement available to certain veterans under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; H.R. 3031, the Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act; H.R. 3384, the Refinancing Relief for Veterans Act; H.R. 3386, the Streamlining the Solid Start Communications Act; H.R. 3387, the Enhancing the Transitioning Servicemember’s Experience Act; H.R. 3481, the Delivering Digitally to Our Veterans Act of 2025; H.R. 3579, the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act; H.R. 3619, the Patriots Over Politics Act; Discussion Draft, the Heroes Owning & Materializing Equity Act of 2025; Discussion Draft, the Expanding Access for Online Veteran Students Act; Discussion Draft, To amend title 38, United States Code, to limit the amount of time the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs may extend the period of a vocational rehabilitation program for a veteran, H.R. 1965, the Veterans Education Assistance Adjustment Act; H.R. 2034, the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act; H.R. 2720, the Gold Star Family Education Parity Act; H.R. 2954, the Veterans’ Transition to Trucking Act of 2025; Discussion Draft, the Every Veteran Housed Act.”
Summary
On June 11, 2025, the House Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a legislative hearing examining multiple bills designed to support veterans and servicemembers. The bills covered several key areas: H.R. 2334 would protect servicemembers' residences from squatters' rights by excluding military service periods from adverse possession calculations; H.R. 2954 would allow the VA to approve multi-state apprenticeship programs for commercial truck driving schools; and additional bills addressed veterans' education benefits, housing assistance, career services for Gold Star families, and digital communications improvements for the VA. Testimony came from a diverse range of witnesses including representatives from the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans service organizations like The American Legion and the Reserve Organization of America, academic institutions, and survivor advocacy groups. The witnesses represented both government agencies and organizations supporting veterans, providing perspectives on implementation challenges, program effectiveness, and veteran needs. Key themes across the testimony included expanding employment and education opportunities for veterans in high-demand fields like trucking, improving VA communication systems and program administration, protecting servicemembers' property rights during deployment, and ensuring adequate support for Gold Star families and surviving spouses. Some witnesses raised concerns about oversight capabilities and the need for careful implementation of education benefit changes. The hearing examined these bills but did not result in immediate action. Legislative hearings allow committees to gather testimony before deciding whether to advance bills, but a hearing alone does not guarantee that legislation will move forward.
Video
Witnesses(7)
| Name | Position | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Liz ClarkDepartment of Defense, Defense Support Services Center | Acting Director | |
| Mr. Andrew PetrieThe American Legion | Senior Policy Analyst, Veterans Education and Employment Division | |
| Mr. Blaze SmithThe University of Arizona | Director, Veterans Education and Transition Services Center | |
| Mr. Matthew SchwartzmanReserve Organization of America | Director, Legislation and Military Policy | |
| Mr. Nick PamperinDepartment of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration | Executive Director, Veterans Readiness & Employment | |
| Mr. Thomas AlphonsoDepartment of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration | Assistant Director of Policy & Implementation, Education Service | |
| Ms. Ashlynne Haycock-LohmannTragedy Assistance Program for Survivors | Director, Government and Legislative Affairs |
