WASHINGTON (March 25, 2025) – Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and colleagues in reintroducing the bipartisan Major Richard Star Act. The bill would allow combat-injured veterans with fewer than 20 years of military service to receive full retirement benefits—without reduction—concurrent with their disability compensation.
“Our veterans made heroic scarifies to protect our nation. I’m proud to help introduce the Major Richard Star Act to make sure that Louisiana’s and America’s brave veterans are able to receive retirement benefits and disability compensation,” said Kennedy.
Currently, only veterans with over 20 years of military service and a 50% or more disabled rating can qualify to receive Department of Defense retirement and Department of Veterans Affairs disability payments concurrently.
Major Richard Star was a decorated war veteran after whom this legislation is named. Major Star retired due to combat related injuries and passed away from cancer in 2021.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) also cosponsored the bill.
The full bill text is available here.
