Major Richard Star Act Discharge Petition Reaches 218 Signatures

WASHINGTON — Last night, the Major Richard Star Act discharge petition, championed by House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) and Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25), reached the 218 signatures needed to force a vote on the bill.

Ranking Member Takano and Rep. Ruiz, who filed the discharge petition on May 21, led the months-long effort to gather sufficient support from a majority of the House. The petition's success comes after sustained pressure from veteran service organizations, combat-injured veterans, and lawmakers who refused to give up on efforts to pass the legislation.

"218 signatures means the House has spoken. A majority of members, Democrats and Republicans, said enough is enough," said Ranking Member Takano. "Combat-injured veterans shouldn't have to choose between the retirement they earned and the disability compensation they're owed. The time for that debate is over. The only person standing between these veterans and their money now is Speaker Johnson, and he's out of excuses."

"It's official—we did it! We reached 218 signatures, and veterans just won a floor vote on my bipartisan Major Richard Star Act," said Rep. Ruiz. "While this is a victory worth celebrating, the fight continues to deliver justice for our veterans, who for years have lived with the injustice of being forced to medically retire due to combat-related injuries, penalized and unable to receive both their disability compensation and their retirement pay in full. Now, the real work begins with this bipartisan bill, it is time for Congress to show our veterans that their sacrifice was not in vain and that we are here to support them."

"It's past time to eliminate the 'wounded veteran tax' that reduces the benefits that our veterans earn with their service and sacrifice," said Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01), a resolution cosponsor and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. "We're working hard to get this across the finish line and see it become law before the end of the year, and I'm thrilled to see our discharge petition reach 218 signatures. I thank our veterans for speaking out and for their leadership on this issue. We're making sure Congress steps up and does our part by forcing a vote in the House, and we'll keep fighting until this bill finally becomes law."

Veteran service organizations have pushed for years for the bill's passage, calling the current offset an injustice that punishes veterans for the severity of their combat injuries.

"This milestone is the result of veterans and their advocates refusing to let this issue fade away," said VFW National Commander-in-Chief Cory Geisler. "The VFW thanks Ranking Member Mark Takano for introducing this petition, every member who signed this bipartisan effort, and Representative Nancy Mace for providing the 218th signature. The VFW will continue working with Congress until the Major Richard Star Act reaches the finish line."

"This is what veterans' advocacy looks like, not a 60-bill omnibus, developed behind closed doors, with harmful and unacceptable trade-offs," said Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America CEO Dr. Kyleanne Hunter. "We are looking forward to the House bringing the Major Richard Star Act to the floor as a clean stand-alone bill that will provide long-overdue benefits to tens of thousands of veterans."

"With 340 bipartisan co-sponsors, it's clear the bill has enough support to pass," said DAV (Disabled American Veterans). "No more delays. It's time for action."

Background: The bill is named for Major Richard Star, an Army combat veteran who died of service-connected cancer in 2021 while advocating for the legislation. It would allow medically retired combat-injured veterans to receive both their full military retirement pay and their VA disability compensation.

The Major Richard Star Act would end the so-called "wounded veteran tax"—the current law offset that forces more than 59,000 combat-injured veterans who were medically retired before completing 20 years of service to forfeit part of their military retirement pay to receive VA disability compensation. Under existing law, veterans must choose between Combat-Related Special Compensation and full retirement benefits; the Major Richard Star Act would allow them to receive both, as these veterans have earned.

The bill has drawn overwhelming bipartisan support, with 340 cosponsors in the House and 80 in the Senate.

Reaching 218 signatures freezes the petition and places the discharge motion on the House Calendar, where it must sit for seven legislative days before it can be called up. With the House leaving for recess after today, that window won't open until members return in November. When it does, a signer can bring the motion to the floor, and if adopted, the House proceeds directly to a vote on the Major Richard Star Act.

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