,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #cdb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,february #h        
7legislative day1 ,february #f71        
#bjag,mr4 ,blumenthal 7for himself and  
,mrs4 ,ernst7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security
 and ,governmental ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  
,to provide for the issuance of a ,gold 
,star ,families ,forever ,stamp to honor
 the sacrifices of families who have    
lost a loved one who was a member of the
 ,armed ,forces in combat4  #a4 ,short  
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,gold ,star ,families ,forever ,stamp   
,act4  #b4 ,findings ,congress finds    
that-- 7#a7 ,gold ,star mothers and     
fathers and families are true national  
heroes1 who deserve our deepest         
gratitude and respect2 and  7#b7 the    
extraordinary contribution of ,gold     
,star mothers and fathers and families  
is beyond measure1 not merely for their 
loss1 but the comfort they selflessly   

provide others and their model of       
service and sacrifice4  #c4 ,gold ,star 
,families ,forever ,stamp  7a7 ,in      
general ,in order to continue to honor  
the sacrifices of families who have lost
 a loved one who was a member of the    
,armed ,forces in combat1 the           
,postmaster ,general shall provide for  
the issuance of a forever stamp suitable
 for that purpose4  7b7 ,definition ,for
 purposes of this ,act1 the term forever
 stamp means a definitive stamp that--  
7#a7 meets the postage required for     
first-class mail up to #a ounce in      
weight2 and  7#b7 retains full validity 
for the purpose described in paragraph  
7#a7 even if the rate of that postage is
 later increased4  7c7 ,effective date  
,the stamp described in subsection 7a7  
shall be issued beginning as soon as    
practicable after the date of enactment 
of this ,act and shall not thereafter be
 discontinued4