Connecting Vets Radio

Gold Star Families now have a week to call their own

By Julia LeDoux

The Senate has approved a resolution designating Sept. 20-26, 2020, as “Gold Star Families Remembrance Week” to honor the families of fallen service members.

Introduced by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., Gold Star Families Remembrance Week precedes Gold Star Mother’s Day, which is observed on the last Sunday of September.

“With the passage of this bipartisan resolution, I encourage everyone to commit to doing everything they can to recognize, honor, and assist the families of the fallen and veterans,” said Hyde-Smith, who introduced the first-ever Gold Star families week resolution in 2018.

Until passage of Hyde-Smith’s 2018 resolution, there was no formal recognition on a national level of the sacrifices made by families of the fallen. The Senate-passed resolution 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.” 

Sens. 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., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Todd Young, R-Ind., co-sponsored the resolution. 

The Senate also approved a Hyde-Smith amendment to the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.