July 31, 2020

Senate Approves Gold Star Families Week Resolution Authored by Van Hollen, Hyde-Smith

Sept. 20-26 Designated to Honor Families in Lead Up to Gold Star Mother’s Day

The U.S. Senate approved a bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) that establishes September 20-26, 2020, as “Gold Star Families Remembrance Week” to honor the families of fallen members of the Armed Forces. 

Gold Star Families Remembrance Week is a designated national period to honor the families of U.S. military servicemembers who lost their lives in service to the nation. The week precedes Gold Star Mother’s Day, which is observed on the last Sunday of September. 

The Senate-passed resolution (S.Res.664) encourages Americans to perform acts of service and good will to honor “the families of members of the Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in order to defend freedom and protect the United States, and the families of veterans of the Armed Forces.” 

U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Jackie Rosen (D-Nev.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) cosponsored S.Res.664.

The Senate also approved a “Gold Star Families” amendment to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act.