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HR 2004 105th Congress House

Give Surviving Spouses of Veterans a Chance to Remarry Act of 1997

Official title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the reinstatement of eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation for certain surviving spouses of veterans.

Introduced: November 13, 1997 See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security DivorceFamiliesLabor and EmploymentRemarriage
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Survivors' benefitsVeterans' pensions
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This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 25, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on Benefits.
Jun 20, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Jun 20, 1997
Introduced in House
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 Latest action June 25, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on Benefits.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Give Surviving Spouses of Veterans a Chance to Remarry Act of 1997 - Makes a remarried surviving spouse of a veteran eligible for reinstatement of dependency and indemnity compensation if the remarriage is terminated by death or divorce, unless the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines that the divorce was secured through fraud by the surviving spouse or collusion.

Provides that if the surviving spouse of a veteran ceases living with another person and holding himself or herself out openly to the public as that person's spouse, the bar to such compensation shall not apply.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 8
All 8 Democratic 5
D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · Mar 30, 1998
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Nov 13, 1997
 D
Bishop, Sanford D.
Georgia · Sep 30, 1997
 D
DeLauro, Rosa L.
Connecticut · Sep 3, 1997
FROST, MARTIN
· Jul 30, 1997
 D
DeGette, Diana
Colorado · Jul 14, 1997
Faleomavaega, Eni
· Jul 14, 1997
LIPINSKI, WILLIAM
· Jul 14, 1997
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2004: Give Surviving Spouses of Veterans a Chance to Remarry Act of 1997. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-2004/
MLA
"H.R. 2004: Give Surviving Spouses of Veterans a Chance to Remarry Act of 1997." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-2004/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2004, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-2004/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2004: Give Surviving Spouses of Veterans a Chance to Remarry Act of 1997](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-2004/)
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