Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, Maggie Hassan, Eric Schmitt, and Mark Kelly have introduced the Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing access to job counseling services for surviving spouses of members of the Armed Forces who died while on active duty.

The bill seeks to expand the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program, a program housed within the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service at the Department of Labor, to include surviving spouses. Currently, the program provides funding to every state to hire specialists who offer individualized career counseling services to eligible veterans. The proposed legislation would allow surviving spouses to also benefit from these services.

Dr. Bill Cassidy, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, emphasized the importance of supporting surviving spouses. He stated, “If we really mean this, then a Gold Star spouse should be able to continue to access the services that they accessed when their husband or wife was alive.”

Senator Hassan echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to support families who have experienced the loss of a service member. She said, “After the terrible loss of a service member, we must do everything that we can to support their families. This bipartisan bill is a commonsense way to help address the challenges that surviving spouses can face in their careers.”

Senator Kelly also stressed the obligation to stand behind the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the country. He stated, “Making sure surviving spouses have the services they need to get a good-paying job to support their families after their loss is the least our government can do.”

Dr. Cassidy has been a strong advocate for veterans and their families. He previously passed the Solid Start Act, which requires the VA to contact every veteran three times within their first year of separation from the military to connect them with programs and benefits, including mental health resources. Additionally, he has introduced legislation to help families and caseworkers secure the records of prisoners of war and those missing in action, as well as to address concerns related to the implementation of the Oracle Cerner electronic health record system.

The Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act is a crucial step towards providing support and resources to surviving spouses of service members. By expanding access to job counseling services, the bill aims to help these individuals navigate their careers and secure economic stability for their families in the aftermath of their loss.