The Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act (S. 1204) aims to expand the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program to include spouses of certain veterans and Armed Forces members. This program, managed by the Department of Labor, offers career and employment assistance to disabled veterans. The bill extends eligibility to spouses of those who died in service, died from a service-related disability, are missing in action, captured, or detained for over 90 days, have a total permanent disability from service, or died while having a total disability.
Media coverage has praised the Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act for addressing the needs of military families by providing essential career support to those who have lost loved ones or are dealing with the long-term impacts of military service. The bill is seen as a compassionate step towards recognizing the sacrifices of military families and offering them tangible support in their career pursuits.
Criticism of the bill has focused on concerns about the potential strain on the resources of the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program, suggesting that expanding eligibility could dilute the effectiveness of services currently provided. Some commentators argue that without additional funding or resources, the program might struggle to meet the increased demand, potentially affecting the quality of assistance offered to all eligible participants.
The bill S. 1204: Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act is sponsored by Margaret Hassan, a Democrat. The bill's subject matter pertains to Armed Forces and National Security. Hassan's top donor industries include Health Professionals, Retired individuals, Securities & Investment, and Government. There is a potential conflict of interest detected with the Securities & Investment industry, which has donated $210,000,000 to Hassan and could potentially be affected by the bill. However, it's important to note that the amount donated by this industry is relatively small compared to the total donations received by Hassan. The lobbying activity in this bill's policy area is also relatively low, with the highest disclosed amount being $30,000. This suggests that there may not be significant external pressure influencing the bill's outcome.
These industries are both affected by this bill and among the sponsor's top donors.
| Industry | Match Type | Related Subject | Donations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Securities & Investment (F10) | Direct | Armed Forces and National Security | $210,000,000 |
| Total from overlapping industries | $210,000,000 | ||
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $30,000 |
| AMERICAN MUNICIPAL POWER | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $30,000 |
| CITY UTILITIES OF SPRINGFIELD | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $30,000 |
| PRAIRIE STATE GENERATING COMPANY, LLC | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $30,000 |
| AFFORD GROUP (FORMERLY CLIMATE POLICY GROUP) | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $30,000 |
| TAPS | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $30,000 |
| ELECTRICITIES OF NC | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $30,000 |
| CITY PUBLIC SERVICE | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $30,000 |
| MEAG POWER | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $20,000 |
| SANTEE COOPER | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $20,000 |
| CWLP | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $20,000 |
| COLODADO SPRINGS UTILITIES | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $20,000 |
| NATIONAL MOTORISTS ASSOCIATION | MR. ROBERT TALLEY | $10,000 |
| CARE CONTINUUM ALLIANCE | CARE CONTINUUM ALLIANCE | undisclosed |
| NATIONAL COURT REPORTERS ASSOCIATION | MILLER-WENHOLD CAPITOL STRATEGIES | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
Top industries funding Margaret Hassan, ranked by total contributions.
Source: OpenSecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)