Case No.

11-3083

EQCF Dkt #201 Filed 10/04/2013

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS CARMEN J. CARDONA, Appellant, v. ERIC K. SHINSEKI, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Appellee. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

Vet. App. No. 11-3083

NOTICE TO THE COURT Appellee, Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary), by his undersigned counsel, hereby notifies the Court and the parties that, on October 4, 2013, he informed Congress that he will no longer enforce sections 101(3) and 101(31) of title 38 of the United States Code to the extent that these provisions preclude recognition of legally valid marriages of same-sex couples, provided, if applicable, that those marriages meet the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 103(c). A copy of the Secretarys October 4, 2013 letter is attached. The Secretary

previously notified this Court on September 9, 2013 that he would no longer enforce sections 101(3) and 101(31) to the extent that they limit the provision of veterans benefits to married couples of the opposite sex. Respectfully submitted, WILL A. GUNN General Counsel

DAVID L. QUINN Acting Assistant General Counsel /s/ Carolyn F. Washington CAROLYN F. WASHINGTON Deputy Assistant General Counsel /s/ Ronen Morris RONEN MORRIS Appellate Attorney Office of the General Counsel (027D) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20420 (202) 632-7113 Attorneys for Appellee Secretary of Veterans Affairs