{"id":2578899,"date":"2026-03-12T05:31:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T09:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/van-epps-aims-to-raise-support-to-gold-star-families-amid-iran-war\/"},"modified":"2026-03-12T05:33:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T09:33:09","slug":"van-epps-aims-to-raise-support-to-gold-star-families-amid-iran-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/van-epps-aims-to-raise-support-to-gold-star-families-amid-iran-war\/","title":{"rendered":"Van Epps aims to raise support to Gold Star families amid Iran war"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fvan-epps-aims-to-raise-support-to-gold-star-families-amid-iran-war%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2578899&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Rep. Matt Van Epps (R-TN) introduced the HONOR Gold Star families act, his first bill, to double the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-reps-norman-khanna-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-cut-congressional-retirement-benefits\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE: .... Norman, Khanna Introduce Bipartisan ... To Cut Congressional Retirement Benefits\">death gratuity paid<\/a> to Gold Star families from $100,000 to $200,000 and apply it retroactively to 2026, so families who lost loved ones in the Iran conflict are covered. the bipartisan measure is co-led by Reps. jill tokuda (D-HI) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA). Van Epps argues the current $100,000 benefit hasn\u2019t kept pace with costs, noting its reduced purchasing power over time, and cites a Gold Star wife\u2019s comments to illustrate the need. The legislation is backed by organizations such as American Gold Star Mothers and Military Veterans Advocacy. The context includes recent U.S. and allied actions against Iran and ongoing casualties in the conflict.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Van Epps introduces bill to boost &lsquo;death gratuity&rsquo; for Gold Star families for first time in 20 years<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2529503\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE &mdash;<\/strong> Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/rep-matt-van-epps\/\" type=\"mediapress_author\" id=\"21429\">Matt Van Epps<\/a> (R-TN) is introducing his inaugural piece of legislation on Thursday, marking an effort to raise the &ldquo;death gratuity&rdquo; for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/military\/\">Gold Star families<\/a> for the first time in decades.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Fresh from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/latino-group-torches-biden-after-gop-victory-in-south-texas-democrats-make-a-mockery-of-our-culture\/\" title=\"Latino Group Torches Biden After GOP Victory In South Texas: Democrats Make \u2018A Mockery Of Our Culture\u2019\">special election win<\/a> last December, Epps framed the bipartisan <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/HONOR-Gold-Star-Families-Act.pdf\">HONOR Gold Star Families Act<\/a> in the context of the United States&rsquo;s war against Iran, arguing it is needed to support those closest to slain soldiers. Reps. Jill Tokuda (D-HI) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA) are co-leading the legislation, which would double payments from $100,000 to $200,000 and apply retroactively to the beginning of 2026 to ensure families who lost service members in the Iran conflict are included.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4487940\/talking-filibuster-explained\/\">The &#8216;talking filibuster,&#8217; explained<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4487932\/house-oversight-bring-in-epstein-prison-guard-questioning-comer\/\">House oversight committee intends to bring in Epstein prison guard for questioning: Comer<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4487518\/iran-war-gives-massie-primary-opening-trump-drops-into-district\/\">Iran war gives Massie a primary opening as Trump drops into his district<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;Unfortunately, this week we learned that a seventh servicemember has died as a result of an Iranian attack on U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia,&rdquo; Van Epps told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is tragic news and undergirds the need to ensure that our Gold Star families are taken care of. That&rsquo;s why I introduced the HONOR Gold Star Families Act alongside Reps. Kiggans and Tokuda. This bipartisan legislation demonstrates that when it comes to taking care of our troops and their families, there are no sides of the aisle &mdash; we are all Americans,&rdquo; the Tennessee lawmaker said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The amount <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/military\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"266\">military families<\/a> receive after the death of a family member hasn&rsquo;t changed since 2006, according to Van Epps&rsquo; office. The lawmaker said that, in perspective, $100 two decades ago &ldquo;has the buying power of roughly $160 today.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As one Gold Star wife recently told me, &lsquo;Your bills don&rsquo;t get cut in half when you lose your spouse.&rsquo; Her words were a stark reminder of the difficult reality many Gold Star families face in the wake of unimaginable loss,&rdquo; Van Epps said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Van Epps, a West Point graduate and combat veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is set to introduce the bill alongside co-sponsors Reps. John Rose (R-TN), William Timmons (R-SC), Pat Harrigan (R-NC), Derek Van Orden (R-WI), Jacolb Ellzey (R-TX), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Don Davis (D-NC), and John James (R-MI).&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The bill is backed by one of the country&rsquo;s premier support groups for Gold Star Families. American Gold Star Mothers boasts over 140 chapters across the U.S., according to the group&rsquo;s website. The Military Veterans Advocacy has also endorsed the bill, with the board&rsquo;s executive director, retired Navy Commander John Wells, saying the fixed $100,000 death gratuity &ldquo;is no longer appropriate.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The legislation comes after the U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack against Iran on Feb. 28. The Pentagon <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4487002\/roughly-140-americans-injured-first-10-days-iran-war\/\">said Tuesday<\/a> roughly 140 American service members in the Middle East have since received injuries, including eight still listed as &ldquo;severely injured.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Six <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-crumples-at-mic-in-response-to-questions-from-fox-news-about-afghanistan\/\" title=\"Biden Crumples At Mic In Response To Questions From Fox News About Afghanistan\">service members died<\/a> in a retaliatory Iranian drone attack in Kuwait at the Port of Shuaiba in the early hours of the war. A seventh American service member was killed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>More deaths would be likely in the event that Washington authorizes a ground offensive to be launched in Iran. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) and others have <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/lawmaker-says-no-clear-plan-iran-nuclear-stockpile-us-campaign-targets-missiles\">warned that<\/a> accomplishing the U.S. objective of completely decimating Iran&rsquo;s nuclear weapons program would likely require a ground invasion. President Donald Trump told the <em>New York Post<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/03\/09\/us-news\/trump-tells-the-post-hes-nowhere-near-ordering-iran-ground-mission-at-nuke-facility-not-happy-with-tehrans-new-leader\/\">on Monday<\/a> that &ldquo;we haven&rsquo;t made any decision&rdquo; on deploying troops to Iran to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >retrieve highly enriched uranium<\/a> from Iranian facilities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4484357\/iran-war-historical-first\/\"><strong>WAR WITH IRAN SEES SEVERAL HISTORICAL FIRSTS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The U.S. and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\">Israel<\/a> decided to strike Tehran after being told by Iranian leadership that it had enough enriched uranium to make 11 nuclear bombs within a week to 10 days, Trump&rsquo;s team previously said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">The president suggested on Wednesday that the war would end &ldquo;soon&rdquo; because there is &ldquo;practically nothing left to target,&rdquo; during&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/03\/11\/trump-iran-war-end-withdrawal\">an interview<\/a>&nbsp;with&nbsp;<em>Axios<\/em>.<\/span> Trump&rsquo;s comments came after War Secretary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pete-hegseth\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1991\">Pete Hegseth<\/a> had said that Tuesday would be the &ldquo;most intense day&rdquo; of strikes against Iran since the war sparked.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Exclusive: Van Epps to boost Gold Star death gratuity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2578900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP25321688060194.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33526,75205,39405,64798,66807],"class_list":["post-2578899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-gold-star-families","tag-iran-war-2","tag-military-families","tag-van-epps","tag-veteran-support"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP25321688060194.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2578899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2578899"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2578899\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2578903,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2578899\/revisions\/2578903"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2578900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2578899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2578899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2578899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}