Major Richard Star Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 5995 To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand eligibility to certain military retirees for concurrent receipt of veterans’ disability compensa- tion and retired pay or combat-related special compensation, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 27, 2020 Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself and Mr. RUIZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently deter- mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand eligibility to certain military retirees for concurrent receipt of vet- erans’ disability compensation and retired pay or combat- related special compensation, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Major Richard Star 4 Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:29 Feb 29, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5995.IH H5995 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 5995 IH SEC. 2. EXPANSIONS OF ELIGIBILITY TO CERTAIN MILI- 1 TARY RETIREES FOR CONCURRENT RECEIPT 2 OF VETERANS’ DISABILITY COMPENSATION 3 AND RETIRED PAY OR COMBAT-RELATED 4 SPECIAL COMPENSATION. 5 (a) INCLUSION OF CHAPTER 61 DISABILITY RETIR- 6 EES WITH FEWER THAN 20 YEARS OF SERVICE WHO 7 ARE ELIGIBLE FOR COMBAT-RELATED SPECIAL COM- 8 PENSATION.—Section 1413a(b)(3) of title 10, United 9 States Code, is amended— 10 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘In’’ and 11 inserting ‘‘Subject to subparagraph (B), in’’; and 12 (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘In the 13 case of’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘The re- 14 tired pay of an eligible combat-related disabled uni- 15 formed services retiree, who is retired under chapter 16 61 of this title with fewer than 20 years of cred- 17 itable service, is not subject to reduction under sec- 18 tions 5304 and 5305 of title 38.’’. 19 (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 20 (1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of section 21 1414 of such title is amended to read as follows: 22 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:29 Feb 29, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5995.IH H5995 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 5995 IH ‘‘§ 1414. Members eligible for retired pay who are also 1 eligible for veterans’ disability compensa- 2 tion: concurrent receipt’’. 3 (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The item relating to 4 such section 1414 in the table of sections at the be- 5 ginning of chapter 71 of such title is amended to 6 read as follows: 7 ‘‘1414. Members eligible for retired pay who are also eligible for veterans’ dis- ability compensation: concurrent receipt.’’. (3) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS REFLECTING 8 END OF CONCURRENT RECEIPT PHASE-IN PERIOD.— 9 Such section 1414 is further amended— 10 (A) in subsection (a)(1)— 11 (i) by striking the second sentence; 12 and 13 (ii) by striking subparagraphs (A) and 14 (B); 15 (B) by striking subsection (c) and redesig- 16 nating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 17 (c) and (d), respectively; and 18 (C) in subsection (d), as redesignated, by 19 striking paragraphs (3) and (4). 20 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 21 this section shall take effect on the first day of the first 22 month beginning after the date of the enactment of this 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:29 Feb 29, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5995.IH H5995 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 5995 IH Act and shall apply to payments for months beginning on 1 or after that date. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:29 Feb 29, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H5995.IH H5995 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS