SRES-664-116
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4650; text: CR S4637)
Sponsored by Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
What it does
This resolution designates the week of September 20 through September 26, 2020, as "Gold Star Families Remembrance Week." It formally recognizes the sacrifices made by members of the U.S. Armed Forces who died in military service and by the families they left behind. The resolution carries no legal mandates, creates no programs, and appropriates no funds.
Who benefits
Families of U.S. service members who died while serving in the Armed Forces (commonly called "Gold Star Families") receive formal congressional recognition. Veterans' advocacy organizations and military support groups may benefit from the increased public awareness the designation is intended to generate.
Who is hurt
No specific group faces a direct negative effect from this resolution. Because it creates no mandates, spending, or regulatory changes, there are no identifiable parties who are materially harmed.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that formally designating a remembrance week sends a clear, unified message from Congress that the nation values the ultimate sacrifice made by service members and acknowledges the lasting grief borne by their families. They contend that symbolic recognition has real meaning — it elevates public awareness, encourages communities to hold commemorative events, and affirms that Gold Star Families are not forgotten. Supporters also note that the resolution passed by unanimous consent, reflecting broad, bipartisan agreement that honoring fallen service members and their families is a shared national value that transcends political differences.
Opponents argue
Opponents, or those skeptical of such resolutions, argue that a symbolic designation without accompanying funding, services, or policy changes does little to address the concrete needs of Gold Star Families, such as mental health support, financial assistance, or survivor benefits. They contend that congressional floor time and resources spent on non-binding resolutions could be directed toward substantive legislation that would produce measurable improvements in the lives of military families. Some critics also argue that recurring symbolic resolutions can create the appearance of action while substituting for more meaningful policy commitments to those who have sacrificed the most.