Bills · HR 1004
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 1004Marriage and family statusVeterans' pensions and compensation
Love Lives On Act of 2025
INTRO FEB 5· LAST ACTION MAR 26
READING
3MIN
COSPONSORS
179BIPARTISAN
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill addresses a significant issue known as the "widow's penalty," where surviving military spouses often face a difficult choice between finding new companionship and maintaining essential financial and healthcare benefits. If this bill becomes law, it means that the federal government will no longer cut off critical income and health insurance for surviving spouses simply because they choose to remarry. This change could profoundly improve the financial stability and quality of life for many military families.
Without this bill, surviving spouses would continue to be penalized for remarriage, potentially forcing them to forego needed support or remain single to maintain their benefits. By passing this law, Congress would acknowledge the ongoing sacrifice of military families and ensure that surviving spouses are not financially disadvantaged for moving forward with their lives, aligning military survivor benefits more closely with those available to civilian beneficiaries in similar situations.
KEY PROVISIONS
3AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Allows surviving spouses of veterans to continue receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) even if they remarry, removing the current penalty.
This ensures continued financial support for military survivors regardless of their marital status.
PROVISION 02
Prevents the termination of Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities for surviving spouses of service members who died on active duty if they remarry. It also restores SBP for those who remarried before age 55 prior to the bill's enactment.
This provides crucial, uninterrupted income for eligible surviving spouses and corrects past benefit losses.
PROVISION 03
Expands TRICARE health insurance eligibility to include remarried widows or widowers whose subsequent marriage has ended due to death, divorce, or annulment.
This provides vital healthcare access to surviving spouses who find themselves single again after a second marriage.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 179
R· North Carolina
YRS IN OFFICE
13
BILLS LED
17
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 57%
DEM 127 REP 51 IND 1
ACTION TIMELINE
6 EVENTSMAR 26
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
MAR 26
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
FEB 3
Subcommittee Hearings Held
MAR 6
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 1004
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedFeb 5, 2025
Last actionMar 26, 2026
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 5, 2025
House BillHR 1004Marriage and family statusVeterans' pensions and compensation
Love Lives On Act of 2025
INTRODUCED FEB 5, 2025· LAST ACTION MAR 26, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
3 min
COSPONSORS
179
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
