On Veterans Day, House lawmakers voted 245–175 to advance a procedural measure clearing the way for consideration of legislation that would amend the United States Code to provide veterans’ disability compensation and retirement pay.
The amendment, also known as the Major Richard Star Act, would allow combat-injured military retirees, regardless of how many years they served, to receive full retired pay and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation.
The bill was originally introduced by Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), with Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) serving as an original cosponsor.
“Combat-wounded veterans who were forced to medically retire are being shortchanged by the VA,” Rep. Ruiz said. “For every dollar in VA disability compensation these veterans receive, a dollar is taken out of their retirement pay.”
The bill ends the “wounded veteran tax,” an offset lawmakers argue denies combat-wounded, medically retired veterans the full VA disability compensation they have earned.
“Our veterans deserve respect, they do NOT deserve to be treated like a burdensome, expendable line item in a budget,” Rep. Ruiz said.
The bill had previously stalled in the House due to partisan debates over how to fund the legislation and Republican proposals to package it with other veterans' policy changes that included cuts to future disability benefits.
Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) called the “radical” amendments made by Republicans an attempt to “implement the largest cut to veterans benefits in a generation.”
“South Texas is home to more than 50,000 veterans, and nearly half live with service-connected disabilities,” Rep. Gonzalez said. “We cannot turn our backs on those who proudly served.”
The Texas congressman said the Major Richard Star Act should advance as a standalone bill, without cutting other veterans' benefits to offset its costs.
“When a veteran returns from service, our government has a responsibility to provide them with the resources and support they’ve rightfully earned,” Rep. Gonzalez said.
