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HR 4688 113th Congress House Armed Forces and National Security Military facilities and property Military personnel and dependents National symbols Retail and wholesale trades

Gold Star Families Equality Act

Introduced: May 20, 2014 Introduced by: Keating, William R. Democratic · Massachusetts See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) 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 20, 2014
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
May 20, 2014
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
May 20, 2014
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Gold Star Families Equality Act - Requires a lapel button to be designed to identify widows, parents, and next of kin of members of the Armed Forces who die, under circumstances not already prescribed for under existing eligibility standards for a gold star lapel button, while serving on active duty or while assigned to a reserve component in a drill status.

Makes such next of kin button available retroactively to survivors of members of the Armed Forces who have died since September 10, 2001.

Directs the Secretary of each military department and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to provide for the issuance of a Gold Star Installation Access Card to family members with gold or next of kin buttons to expedite their ability to gain unescorted access to military installations for the purpose of obtaining on-base services and benefits.

Requires regulations to be prescribed to permit parents (including stepparents, parents though adoption, or foster parents who stood in loco parentis) with such buttons to use commissary stores and other military retail facilities on the same basis as surviving spouses or children.

What's happening now June 20, 2014

Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4688: Gold Star Families Equality Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4688/
MLA
"H.R. 4688: Gold Star Families Equality Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4688/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4688, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4688/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4688: Gold Star Families Equality Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4688/)
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