{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=C6CA202A-4A21-4C0C-BBA3-61B8B0346852", "Sens. Moran, Warnock Introduce Legislation to Protect Military Spouses\u2019 Survivor Benefits", "2023-04-25", "2023", "2023-04", "Republican", "Senate", "KS", "Jerry Moran", "M000934", "www.moran.senate.gov", "moran", "https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) \u2013 the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs \u2013 and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) today introduced the Love Lives On Act. This legislation would allow spouses of deceased servicemembers to retain their survivor benefits if they remarry. This legislation was cosponsored by Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)\n\nCurrently, a surviving spouse under the age of 55 could lose survivor benefits if they remarry. The Love Lives On Act would make certain surviving spouses are able to retain their benefits from both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) upon remarriage at any age. The bill includes surviving spouses from active-duty, veteran and retired servicemembers.\n\n\u201cMilitary service is family service, and our country owes a great debt to the surviving spouses of fallen servicemembers,\u201d said Sen. Moran. \u201cAs Gold Star spouses heal from their loss and choose to remarry, they should not have to worry about losing their survivors\u2019 benefits provided by the VA and DoD.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe men and women in our military serve our country courageously\u2014and their spouses serve our country, too,\u201d said Sen. Reverend Warnock. \u201cIf one of our heroes loses their life in the line of duty, we should honor our servicemember\u2019s sacrifice by ensuring their spouse can retain survivor benefits if they choose to remarry. I\u2019m proud to continue leading this bipartisan effort to fulfill our promise to these patriotic military families.\u201d\n\n\u201cTAPS is grateful to Senators Moran, Warnock, Cotton, Hirono, and Warren for their leadership in introducing the first comprehensive remarriage bill, the Love Lives On Act of 2023,\u201d said Bonnie Carroll, President and Founder, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. \u201cThis important legislation will ensure surviving military spouses retain their benefits upon remarriage at any age. Being widowed should not penalize them from finding love in the future.\u201d\n\nThis legislation is supported by 41 Veterans Service Organizations and others, including the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), The American Legion and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).\n\nThe Love Lives On Act would:\n\nAllow surviving spouses to retain Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) upon remarriage at any age.\n\nAllow surviving spouses to maintain eligibility for education benefits under the Fry Scholarship and Dependents Education Assistance upon remarriage.\n\nAllow remarried surviving spouses access to Commissary and Exchange benefits.\n\nAllow remarried surviving spouses to regain their TRICARE benefits if that marriage subsequently ends due to death, divorce or annulment.\n\nAllow access to electronic medical records, appointments, referrals, and prescription refills for remarried spouses with dependent children, and ensure that remarried surviving spouses are treated as the parents to minor children not just the fiduciary.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:02:19Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=C6CA202A-4A21-4C0C-BBA3-61B8B0346852"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0587239414453506, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}