House passes bill to expand benefits for combat-injured veterans

The House approved legislation Thursday that would allow combat-injured military retirees with less than 20 years of service to collect their full military retirement pay and Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation without the dollar-for-dollar offset that currently reduces their retirement benefits. The passage of the Major Richard Star Act, H.R. 2102, sends the measure to the Senate, where lawmakers must still approve it before it can reach the president’s desk. The vote followed a months-long effort led by Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., ranking Democrat on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, to force consideration of the standalone legislation. On May 21, Takano and Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., began an effort to force a House vote on a resolution that would set the rules for bringing the Major Richard Star Act to the floor. The petition reached the required 218 signatures on Sept. 15, with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., providing the decisive endorsement.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.