Veteran Spouses Equal Treatment Act
- Last Action
- 10/22/2019
Actions
- 2019-10-22Subcommittee Hearings Held.
- 2019-03-01Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
- 2019-02-06Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2019-02-06Introduced in House
- 2019-02-06Introduced in House
CRS Summary
As of 2019-02-06 (00)
Veteran Spouses Equal Treatment Act
This bill amends the definition of spouse for purposes of veterans' benefits to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recognize a marriage based on the law of the state where the marriage occurred.
When a marriage occurs outside a state, the VA shall recognize it if the marriage is lawful in the place where it occurs and could have been entered into under the laws of any state.
The bill also amends the definitions of spouse and surviving spouse to remove the requirement that the spouse be of the opposite sex.
Cosponsors (20)
- Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
- Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
- Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
- Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)
- Debra Haaland (D-NM)
- Brian Higgins (D-NY)
- Robin Kelly (D-IL)
- Alan Lowenthal (D-CA)
- BETTY MCCOLLUM (D-MN)
- JAMES MCGOVERN (D-MA)
- ELEANOR NORTON (D-DC)
- Scott Peters (D-CA)
- Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
- BOBBY RUSH (D-IL)
- JANICE SCHAKOWSKY (D-IL)
- Thomas Suozzi (D-NY)
- Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)
- Frederica Wilson (D-FL)
- Angie Craig (D-MN)
- Ed Perlmutter (D-CO)
Subjects
- Marriage and family status
- Military personnel and dependents
- Veterans' pensions and compensation
Sourced from Congress.gov (public domain).
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.