Gold Star Fathers Act of 2014

Gold Star Fathers Act of 2014
Great Seal of the United States
Full title To amend chapter 21 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that fathers of certain permanently disabled or deceased veterans shall be included with mothers of such veterans as preference eligibles for treatment in the civil service.
Introduced in 113th United States Congress
Introduced on May 13, 2014
Sponsored by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D, OH)
Number of Co-Sponsors 0
Effects and Codifications
U.S.C. section(s) affected 5 U.S.C. Â§ 2108
Legislative history

The Gold Star Fathers Act of 2014 (S. 2323) is a bill that would expand preferred eligibility for federal jobs to the fathers of certain permanently disabled or deceased veterans.[1] The mothers of such veterans already have federal hiring preference.[2]

The bill was introduced into the United States Senate during the 113th United States Congress.

Background

Gold Star mothers and unmarried widows and widowers have a hiring preference of ten points at present.[3]

Provisions of the bill

This summary is based largely on the summary provided by the Congressional Research Service, a public domain source.[4]

The Gold Star Fathers Act of 2014 would include as a preference eligible for federal employment purposes a parent (currently, the mother only) of either an individual who lost his or her life under honorable conditions while serving in the Armed Forces during a war, in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized, or during the period beginning April 28, 1952, and ending July 1, 1955, or a service-connected permanently and totally disabled veteran, if: (1) the spouse of such parent is totally and permanently disabled; or (2) such parent, when preference is claimed, is unmarried or legally separated from his or her spouse.[4]

Congressional Budget Office report

This summary is based largely on the summary provided by the Congressional Budget Office, as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on July 30, 2014. This is a public domain source.[1]

S. 2323 would expand preferred eligibility for federal jobs to the fathers of certain permanently disabled or deceased veterans. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that implementing the legislation would not have any significant effect on the federal budget. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.[1]

Under current law, mothers of certain veterans are eligible to claim preferences for civil service positions if their children are permanently disabled or deceased. S. 2323 would expand that preference to include such veterans’ fathers. We estimate that the legislation would have no significant budgetary effect because, while it would expand the pool of people eligible for federal job preferences, it would not change the total number of federal jobs available or the salaries paid to federal employees.[1]

S. 2323 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.[1]

Procedural history

The Gold Star Fathers Act of 2014 was introduced into the United States Senate on May 13, 2014 by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D, OH).[5] The bill was referred to the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. On September 10, 2014, the Senate voted with unanimous consent to pass the bill.[5]

Debate and discussion

Senator Brown, who introduced the bill, said that "when a service member is killed in action or permanently and totally disabled, the government should do its part to be there for grieving parents - no matter if they're fathers or mothers."[2]

Scott Warner, an activist for Gold Star fathers, said that he hoped the bill "will bring more awareness to what's going on in surviving families."[2] Hearing Warner's story about losing his son in Iraq is what inspired Senator Brown to write the bill.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "CBO - S. 2323". Congressional Budget Office. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Albrecht, Brian (11 September 2014). "Gold Star Fathers Act gets salute from U.S. Senate". Cleveland.com. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  3. 1 2 Lewis, Frank (11 September 2014). "Gold Star Fathers to receive preference". Portsmouth Daily Times. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  4. 1 2 "S. 2323 - Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  5. 1 2 "S. 2323 - All Actions". United States Congress. Retrieved 11 September 2014.

External links

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