This provision negatively affects Federal Civil Service retired widows/widowers who contributed only to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) during their careers. When these retirees become eligible for Social Security benefits, this provision exempts them from receiving any portion of their deceased spouses' Social Security benefits, simply because they contributed to CSRS rather that Social Security.
My late husband was a Vietnam Veteran, and I am a retired 33 1/2 year Federal employee; we both gave a significant portion of our lives to the U. S. Government. His death left me to deal with a significant reduction in income, just as other non-CSRS retirees who are receiving their deceased spouses' benefits.