S. 1204 · Where this bill is now
In the House
Passed the Senate Dec 18, 2025. Received Dec 19, 2025; no House vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands job services for Gold Star spouses
The Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program already helps disabled veterans find jobs and develop careers. This bill would expand that program to also help spouses of certain veterans and service members. It would cover spouses of those who died in service, died from service-related injuries, are missing in action or captured, have total permanent disabilities from service, or died while having a total disability rating.
How it affects you
Gold Star spouses—those who lost a spouse in military service or to service-connected causes—would now have access to career counseling and employment services through the Department of Labor. This could help them find stable jobs and advance their careers during what is often a difficult transition.
Read the official summary (Passed Senate, Dec 18, 2025)
Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act
This bill expands eligibility for the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program to the spouses of certain veterans and members of the Armed Forces. Such program is administered by the Department of Labor and generally provides career and employment services to disabled veterans.
The bill expands eligibility for the program to spouses of
• persons who died while members of the Armed Forces;
• persons who died of a service-connected disability;
• members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty who, for more than 90 days, are listed as missing in action, captured by a hostile force, or forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government power;
• persons who have a total permanent disability resulting from a service-connected disability; and
• persons who died while an evaluated total disability was in existence.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 1204
AN ACT
Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act
Sponsor: Sen. Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH) · Introduced Mar 31, 2025 · Armed Forces and National Security · 2 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Dec 19, 2025: “Held at the desk.”
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 2 official versions.