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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1972
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A JOINT RESOLUTION urging the United States Congress to pass the Major 1
Richard Star Act to ensure veterans with disabilities receive their full United States 2
Department of Defense retirement pay and United States Department of Veterans Affairs 3
disability compensation without offset. 4
WHEREAS, the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102, S. 1032) is proposed 5
bipartisan legislation in 119th Congress that seeks to amend feder al law to expand 6
eligibility for concurrent receipt of disability compensation and retirement pay for 7
veterans; and 8
WHEREAS, current federal law requires a dollar -for-dollar offset of disability 9
compensation and retirement pay for a veteran with a disabili ty who was medically 10
retired with fewer than 20 years of service, denying them the full benefits they earned 11
through their service and sacrifice; and 12
WHEREAS, approximately 50,000 veterans with disabilities, including those who 13
sustained combat -related inj uries, are affected by this offset, resulting in significant 14
financial hardship, with an average loss of approximately $1,900 per month in earned 15
benefits based on 2022 estimates from the Congressional Budget Office; and 16
WHEREAS, the Major Richard Star Act aims to correct this injustice by allowing 17
an eligible veteran with a disability to receive both his or her full United States 18
Department of Defense retirement pay and United States Department of Veterans Affairs 19
disability compensation concurrently; and 20
WHEREAS, the bill has garnered significant bipartisan support in Congress with 21
substantial co-sponsorship in both the House of Representatives and the Senate; and 22
WHEREAS, Kentucky is home to approximately 285,000 veterans, one of the 23
larger veteran popula tions in the nation, with many veterans with disabilities who have 24
served honorably and who are impacted by the current offset policy; and 25
WHEREAS, more than 50 veterans' organizations, including the Wounded Warrior 26
Project, the American Legion, and AMVETS (American Veterans), have endorsed the 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1972
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Major Richard Star Act, highlighting its importance in ensuring a veteran with a 1
disability receives the benefits he or she rightfully earned; and 2
WHEREAS, Congress has a duty to care for veterans with disabilities by ensuring 3
they receive the support and benefits earned through their service; and 4
WHEREAS, veterans with disabilities have advocated for the elimination of this 5
offset, underscoring the physical, psychological, and financial burdens they face due to 6
the current policy; and 7
WHEREAS, the Major Richard Star Act aligns with the nation's commitment to 8
honor and support all veterans, including those in Kentucky, by ensuring they receive the 9
full benefits they earned through their service, regardless of their length of service; and 10
WHEREAS, the General Assembly recognizes the urgent need to address this 11
injustice and support veterans with disabilities who have sacrificed for our nation; 12
NOW, THEREFORE, 13
Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 14
Section 1. Th e General Assembly of Kentucky hereby urges the United States 15
Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102, S. 1032) to ensure veterans with 16
disabilities receive their full United States Department of Defense retirement pay and 17
United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation without offset. 18
Section 2. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 19
Resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Speake r of the 20
United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, 21
members of the Kentucky congressional delegation, and to sponsor and co -sponsors of 22
this Resolution for distribution. 23