The
Major Richard Star Act would provide combat-injured veterans with full earned
disability compensation and retirement pay
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Ashley Moody joined
Senators Richard Blumenthal, Mike Crapo, Elizabeth Warren and Rick Scott as a
cosponsor of the Major Richard Star Act—bipartisan legislation to
provide combat-injured veteran retirees their full benefits.
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’ Major Richard Star
Act will fix this unjust policy for retired combat veterans—providing them
their full VA disability and DOD retirement payments.
Senator Ashley Moody said, “The brave men and women who were
injured in combat to protect this great country deserve the full benefits that
they rightfully earned. Today, I am proud to stand with this bipartisan group
of colleagues as a cosponsor of the Major Richard Star Act. Florida is the most
veteran-friendly state in the nation, and this common sense bill is another way
we can show our thanks for keeping our nation safe.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal said, “This measure corrects one of the
deepest injustices in our present veterans’ disability system. 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.”
Senator Mike Crapo said, “The Major Richard Star Act
corrects a severe injustice for combat-wounded veterans. 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.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren said, “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. 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.”
Senator Rick Scott said, “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. 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.”
This bipartisan legislation is named in
honor of Major Richard A. Star, a decorated war veteran who was forced to
medically retire due to his combat-related injuries. Major Star sadly lost his
battle with cancer on February 13, 2021. The Senators’ legislation has 74
bipartisan cosponsors.
The House companion version of this bill
was introduced by Congressmen Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) and now
has 280 bipartisan cosponsors.
The Senators’ bipartisan effort to
provide combat-injured veterans their due benefits is supported by the Air
Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), Air & Space Forces Association (AFA),
American GI Forum, The American Legion, American Military Society, American
Veterans (AMVETS), Armed Forces Retiree Association, Army Aviation Association
of America (AAAA), Association of Military Surgeons of the United States
(AMSUS), Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Association of the
United States Navy (AUSN), Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Blue Star
Families, Burn Pits 360, Chief Warrant Officers Association of the US Coast
Guard (CWOA), Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health
Service, Inc. (COA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Enlisted Association of
the National Guard of the United States, Fleet Reserve Association (FRA),
Heroes Athletic Association, Gold Star Wives of America (GSW), Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Jewish War Veterans of the United
States of America (JWV), K9s for Warriors, Marine Corps League (MCL), Marine
Corps Reserve Association (MCRA), Military Chaplains Association of the United
States of America (MCA), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA),
Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Mission Roll Call, National Defense
Committee, National Military Family Association (NMFA), Naval Enlisted Reserve
Association (NERA), Non-Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA), Operation
First Response, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Quality of Life
Foundation, Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Stronghold Freedom
Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), The Retired
Enlisted Association (TREA), The Independence Fund (TIF), United States Army
Warrant Officers Association (USAWOA), USCG Chief Petty Officers Association
(CPOA), VetsFirst/United Spinal Association, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA),
Wounded Paw Project, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).
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