Denver — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), alongside 43 bipartisan colleagues, to introduce legislation to provide combat-injured veteran retirees their full benefits. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), with 185 bipartisan cosponsors.
Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of their Department of Defense (DoD) retirement and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability payments, leaving behind more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees. The senators’ bill will fix this unjust policy for retired combat veterans and provide them with their full VA disability and DoD retirement payments.
“Our veterans have sacrificed so much to keep us safe, and we must do everything we can to ensure they have the care and resources they’ve earned,” said Bennet. “Our bipartisan bill is an important step toward ensuring our brave veterans are treated with dignity and fairness.”
“This measure corrects one of the deepest injustices in our present veterans’ disability system,” said Blumenthal. “It is unacceptable that tens of thousands of combat-injured veterans are denied the full military benefits they earned. Our bipartisan bill will right this longstanding injustice and finally provide these military retirees who have already sacrificed so much their full VA disability and Defense Department retirement payments.”
“The Major Richard Star Act corrects a severe injustice for combat-wounded veterans,” said Crapo. “The support for this correction is clear. Though the namesake of our legislation is no longer with us, I continue to press for its passage on behalf of the more than 50,000 veterans, including hundreds in Idaho, who stand to benefit.”
“Our veterans put their lives on the line for this country and it’s time our government gives them the full benefits they’ve earned,” said Warren. “The Major Richard Star Act will ensure the federal government keeps its promise to our veterans by allowing them to collect both disability and retirement benefits they earned, even if combat injuries forced them to retire early.”
“I am a proud veteran and the son of a World War II veteran, and I have immense respect for anyone who puts on the uniform to defend our nation,” said Scott. “Our veterans are American heroes who have made countless sacrifices. The Major Richard Star Act ensures our veterans receive the full benefits they’ve earned through their service and sacrifice protecting our nation regardless of length of service. This legislation makes a critical change to treat our veterans fairly and support our nation’s heroes. I urge my colleagues to support its quick passage.”
The bill is supported by the following organizations: Air Force Sergeants Association, Air & Space Forces Association, American GI Forum, The American Legion, American Military Society, American Veterans, Armed Forces Retiree Association, Army Aviation Association of America , Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, Association of the United States Army , Association of the United States Navy, Blinded Veterans Association), Blue Star Families, Burn Pits 360, Chief Warrant Officers Association of the US Coast Guard, Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, Inc., Disabled American Veterans, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, Fleet Reserve Association, Heroes Athletic Association, Gold Star Wives of America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America , Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, K9s for Warriors, Marine Corps League , Marine Corps Reserve Association, Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America, Military Officers Association of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Mission Roll Call, National Defense Committee, National Military Family Association, Naval Enlisted Reserve Association, Non-Commissioned Officers Association, Operation First Response, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Quality of Life Foundation, Reserve Organization of America, Stronghold Freedom Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, The Retired Enlisted Association, The Independence Fund, United States Army Warrant Officers Association, USCG Chief Petty Officers Association, VetsFirst/United Spinal Association, Vietnam Veterans of America, Wounded Paw Project, and Wounded Warrior Project.
The text of the bill is available HERE.