Gold Star Family Education Parity Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Gold Star Family Education Parity Act creates a termination date for chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance and a transition into chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill-style benefits. Chapter 35 authority ends on August 1, 2029. An individual who is no longer eligible for chapter 35 educational assistance because of that termination becomes entitled to educational assistance under chapter 33 in the same manner as if the individual had elected to receive it under section 3327, notwithstanding certain restrictions on crediting service, but still subject to section 3327(d)(2) limitations.
Who Benefits and How
Survivors and dependents losing chapter 35 eligibility benefit because the bill provides a Post-9/11 GI Bill pathway instead of a cliff. Gold Star family students benefit if chapter 33 treatment provides stronger or more flexible educational assistance than chapter 35. Veterans education counselors benefit from a clearer statutory transition rule after the August 1, 2029 termination date. Schools serving military families benefit from continuity in benefit eligibility for affected students.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Department of Veterans Affairs must terminate chapter 35 authority and convert affected beneficiaries to chapter 33 treatment. VA education claims processors must apply the section 3327 election framework and limitations to former chapter 35 beneficiaries. Federal taxpayers may bear higher education-benefit costs if chapter 33-equivalent support is more generous. Students currently planning around chapter 35 must adjust to the new chapter 33-based benefit structure after August 1, 2029.
Key Provisions
- Limits chapter 35 educational assistance authority by terminating it on August 1, 2029.
- Provides chapter 33 educational assistance treatment for individuals who lose chapter 35 eligibility because of the termination.
- Modifies crediting-service restrictions for the transition.
- Limits the transition through section 3327(d)(2) constraints.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Terminates new chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance authority on August 1, 2029 and moves individuals who lose eligibility into Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance treatment.
Key Policy Areas
Veterans, Education Benefits, Military Families
Primary Purpose
Terminates new chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance authority on August 1, 2029 and moves individuals who lose eligibility into Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance treatment.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- Survivors losing chapter 35 eligibility
- Gold Star family students
- Veterans education counselors
- Schools serving military families
Identified Costs
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- VA education claims processors
- Federal taxpayers
- Students planning around chapter 35
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeSubcommittee Hearings Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
Mr. Kennedy of New York introduced the following bill; which …
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Gold Star family students, Survivors losing chapter 35 eligibility
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology