H.R. 3569 — Introduced in House

I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3569 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 20, 2013Mr. Walz (for himself, Mr. Hanna, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, and Mr. Takano) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to add a definition of spouse for purposes of veteran benefits that recognizes new State definitions of spouse. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting the Freedoms and Benefits for All Veterans Act. 2. Definition of spouse for purposes of veteran benefits to reflect new State definitions of spouse (a) Spouse defined Section 101 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (3), by striking of the opposite sex; and (2) by striking paragraph (31) and inserting the following new paragraph: (31) (A) An individual shall be considered a spouse if— (i) the marriage of the individual is valid in the State in which the marriage was entered into; or (ii) in the case of a marriage entered into outside any State— (I) if the marriage of the individual is valid in the place in which the marriage was entered into; and (II) (aa) the marriage could have been entered into in a State; or (bb) the marriage was valid in the place in which all parties to the marriage resided at the time the marriage was entered into. (B) In this paragraph, the term State has the meaning given that term in paragraph (20), except that the term also includes the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. . (b) Marriage determination Section 103(c) of such title is amended by striking according to and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting in accordance with section 101(31) of this title..