Bill > HR3441

This bill, titled the Spouses of Heroes Education Act, expands the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry scholarship to include spouses of service members who die in the line of duty, not just those who died on active duty. This means that a surviving spouse can now receive educational assistance under this scholarship program, in addition to children. The bill also introduces limitations and requires an election for those eligible for both this scholarship and other educational benefits, such as those under chapter 35 of title 38, United States Code, which typically provides benefits to surviving spouses and children of veterans with permanent and total disabilities or who died from service-related causes. Specifically, a spouse's entitlement to this expanded Fry scholarship will expire 15 years after the service member's death or upon remarriage, and they must choose irrevocably between receiving benefits under the Fry scholarship or chapter 35.