Honor Gold Star Families Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4807
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-17: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-06T20:28:07Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of S. 4807: Honor Gold Star Families Act
Purpose
This legislation aims to increase financial support for families of deceased U.S. Armed Forces members by raising the death gratuity payment and adding annual adjustments for inflation.
Key Provisions
- Increase in Death Gratuity: Raises the standard payment from $100,000 to $200,000.
- Retroactive Application: The higher amount applies to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2026.
- Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA): Starting January 1, 2027, and each year thereafter, the payment increases annually based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), rounded to the nearest $100.
- Publication Requirement: The Secretary of Defense must publish the adjusted payment amount each year in the Federal Register.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 1478(a) of Title 10, United States Code, by doubling the base death gratuity amount.
- Adds a new subsection (c) to Section 1478, introducing an automatic annual COLA mechanism that did not previously exist for this benefit.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases expenditures by the Department of Defense for survivor benefits, potentially requiring additional funding allocations.
- On Citizens: Provides greater financial assistance to surviving family members of service members who die in service.
- On International Relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Families of deceased Armed Forces members (often referred to as Gold Star families).
- The Department of Defense, responsible for administering and publishing the payments.
- Congress, as the body authorizing the changes through legislation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill operates within Congress's constitutional authority to regulate military benefits under Article I, Section 8.
- It introduces no apparent conflicts with existing constitutional provisions, as it focuses on statutory adjustments to compensation.
- The retroactive effective date and automatic inflation adjustments represent a policy shift toward more responsive support for military survivors.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-17: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- 2026-06-17: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Honor Gold Star Families Act — issued 2026-06-17 — PDF (3 pages)