PRINTER'S NO. 2980
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
404
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY PIELLI, SOLOMON, GILLEN, DELLOSO, JOZWIAK,
WEBSTER, MIHALEK, GUENST, WATRO, MUNROE, SANCHEZ, GIRAL,
BANTA, PICKETT, HILL-EVANS, PROBST, JAMES, MERSKI, STEELE,
KHAN, D. WILLIAMS, CERRATO, RYNCAVAGE, DONAHUE, CEPEDA-
FREYTIZ, MAYES AND ROZZI, APRIL 24, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 24, 2024
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Congress of the United States to support the Major
Richard Star Act (H.R. 1282) to allow all medically retired
service members to receive full access to their much-deserved
retirement pay and benefits.
WHEREAS, Major Richard Star was an Iraq and Afghanistan
veteran who, after exposure to burn pits during his service,
received a diagnosis of lung cancer; and
WHEREAS, Due to his diagnosis, Major Richard Star was forced
to retire before completing 20 years of service and was
therefore unable to collect his retirement and disability
benefits; and
WHEREAS, For every dollar of disability pay they receive,
veterans with less than 20 years of service and a disability
rating of less than 50% will have their retirement pay reduced
by a dollar; and
WHEREAS, An estimated 50,000 retired service members are
ineligible for concurrent benefits under the current rules; and
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WHEREAS, According to the Congressional Budget Office, in
2022, the average offset was approximately $1,900 a month; and
WHEREAS, The Major Richard Star Act would remove these
restrictions and ensure that all service members who have
medically retired can receive full access to retirement pay and
Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits; and
WHEREAS, After dying from his battle with lung cancer in
2021, Major Richard Star's widow claimed that his greatest goal
was to get legislation passed providing for the removal of these
restrictions; and
WHEREAS, The United States owes these benefits to its
veterans regardless of the cost associated with their
allocation; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
States to support the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 1282) to
allow all medically retired service members to receive full
access to their much-deserved retirement pay and benefits; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania call upon our colleagues in the
Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to urge the Congress
of the United States to support the Major Richard Star Act (H.R.
1282); and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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