Major Richard Star Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Major Richard Star Act expands concurrent receipt for medically retired service members with combat-related disabilities. Current offset rules can reduce military retired pay when a retiree also receives VA disability compensation. The bill amends title 10 sections 1413a and 1414 so chapter 61 disability retirees entitled to retired pay and VA disability compensation for a combat-related disability can be paid both for the same month without regard to the offset rules in title 38 sections 5304 and 5305. It also removes phased or service-year limitations from the concurrent receipt section and updates headings and cross-references. The amendments take effect on the first day of the first month after enactment and apply to payments for months beginning on or after that date.
Who Benefits and How
Combat-related disability retirees benefit because their military retired pay would no longer be reduced by VA disability compensation. Medically retired service members under chapter 61 benefit from access to full concurrent receipt if their disability is combat-related. Military families benefit from higher monthly household income for affected disability retirees. Veterans service organizations benefit from a clear statutory fix to the retired-pay offset for combat-injured retirees.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service must recalculate retired pay and coordinate concurrent payments. The Department of Veterans Affairs must coordinate compensation records with Defense Department payment systems. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of paying both full retired pay and VA disability compensation to newly eligible retirees. Retirement administrators must apply the change beginning the first month after enactment.
Key Provisions
- Provides concurrent receipt of retired pay and VA disability compensation for chapter 61 retirees with combat-related disabilities.
- Bars reductions under title 38 sections 5304 and 5305 for covered combat-related disability retirees.
- Amends title 10 sections 1413a and 1414 to remove offset and limitation language.
- Applies the change to payments beginning the first month after enactment.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Allows chapter 61 disability retirees with combat-related disabilities to receive both military retired pay and VA disability compensation without the title 38 offset, with changes effective for payments beginning the first month after enactment.
Key Policy Areas
Military Retirement, Veterans Disability, Combat-Related Disabilities
Primary Purpose
Allows chapter 61 disability retirees with combat-related disabilities to receive both military retired pay and VA disability compensation without the title 38 offset, with changes effective for payments beginning the first month after enactment.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- Combat-related disability retirees
- Medically retired service members
- Military families
- Veterans service organizations
Identified Costs
- Defense Finance and Accounting Service
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Federal taxpayers
- Military retirement administrators
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Mr. Bilirakis (for himself, Mr. Ruiz, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Davis …
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition …
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Medically retired service members, Military families
Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Department of Veterans Affairs
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology