S. 1204 – Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 24, 2025 at 1:31 AM UTC

The Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act changes the Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program so that certain spouses—specifically Gold Star spouses and the spouses of service members who died while on active duty—are treated as eligible persons and can receive the same career and other services offered to veterans. By redefining eligibility and updating the statutory language, the bill expands benefits to these surviving family members.

Key Provisions

Amends the disabled veterans' outreach program to treat certain spouses the same as eligible veterans for receiving services.
Adds the term “eligible person” and defines it as either a Gold Star spouse (as described in section 4101(5)) or the spouse of any service member who died while on active duty.
Inserts the phrase “and eligible persons” throughout the relevant sections so that these spouses can receive the same outreach services as veterans.
Removes the phrase “non‑veteran‑related” from the language, eliminating a restriction that previously excluded spouses.

Legislative Activity

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6 earlier actions

HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

December 19, 2025 • 2:40 PM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 31, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

March 31, 2025

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

December 18, 2025

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8895; text: CR S8895)

December 18, 2025

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 19, 2025

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

December 19, 2025 • 2:33 PM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

December 19, 2025 • 2:40 PM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 1204 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. John ThuneR-SD · Dec 18, 2025

Madam President, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 1204 and that the Senate proceed to its…

Bill Text

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Engrossed in SenateIssued December 18, 2025

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1204

AN ACT

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain spouses eligible for services under the disabled veterans’ outreach program, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act.

2.

Eligibility of spouses for services under the disabled veterans’ outreach program

Section 4103A of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in paragraph (1)—

(i)

in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting and eligible persons after eligible veterans; and

(ii)

in subparagraph (C), by inserting , and eligible persons, after Other eligible veterans;

(B)

in paragraph (2), by inserting and eligible persons after veterans each place it appears; and

(C)

in paragraph (3)—

(i)

by inserting or eligible person after veteran each place it appears; and

(ii)

by inserting or eligible person’s after veteran’s;

(2)

in subsection (d)(1)—

(A)

by inserting and eligible persons after eligible veterans each place it appears; and

(B)

by striking non-veteran-related; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(e)

Eligible person defined

In this section, the term eligible person means—

(1)

any spouse described in section 4101(5) of this title; or

(2)

the spouse of any person who died while a member of the Armed Forces.

.

Passed the Senate December 18, 2025.

Secretary