First Sgt. David Star, brother of Maj. Richard Star, speaks at a news conference on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Washington. Veterans groups, led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., returned to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to make another plea for Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON — Veterans groups, led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., returned to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to make another plea for Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act, which would grant full retirement pay plus disability compensation to combat-wounded veterans whose injuries forced them to leave the military early.
The bill has stalled in Congress over several sessions because of the cost — an estimated $9.75 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
“This needs to get done this year. For far too long service members forced to medically retire have been denied full military retirement and disability for their sacrifice,” Bilirakis said during a news conference held in view of the U.S. Capitol.
Currently only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of their military retirement from the Defense Department plus disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to lawmakers.
“I will make sure we will fight to include this bill in any supplemental package. I will fight to include it in the National Defense Authorization Act, when we mark it up this spring — and use any other opportunity. We can afford this,” said Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Veterans now must waive a portion of their retirement pay when they opt to receive VA disability compensation, according to the Wounded Warrior Project, which is advocating for passage of the bill.
The reduction is known as a “disabled veteran tax.”
There are an estimated 54,000 wounded veterans who would benefit from the bill, according to lawmakers and the bill’s supporters.
The Veterans Justice Alliance, a group of veterans that would benefit from the bill, advocated for the legislation at the news conference and met with lawmakers at their offices.
William Brooks, a medically retired Army sergeant from Mississippi, was among them.
Brooks, who uses a wheelchair, said he lost both his legs in a roadside bomb attack in Iraq more than 20 years ago.
“Leaving part of your body on the battlefield should not result in losing your retirement,” Brooks said to applause. “Stop punishing veterans for giving it their all.”
Blumenthal — the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee — said that he tried twice to bring the bill to a vote, but objections were raised over the cost.
He said he plans to try again.
“What a minuscule part of $1.5 trillion,” Blumenthal said, referring to President Donald Trump’s request to fund the defense budget in fiscal 2027. “Whatever the cost, we owe it to these veterans. We can afford it. Let’s get the job done.”
Retired Army 1st. Sgt. David Star — brother of the late Richard Star, an Army Reserve veteran — also spoke in support of the legislation.
Richard Star died in 2021 after suffering lung cancer that was linked to burn pit exposure during military service.
“My brother stood in this very spot asking for support of this bill,” Star said. “He passed away five years ago, and we’ve had four congresses since then to get it done. It is time to move this bill. Get these veterans the financial stability they need.”
