Veterans benefits bill reaches discharge petition threshold with 218 House signatures
House members have gathered the required 218 signatures on a discharge petition, enabling a vote on the Major Richard Star Act that would let combat-injured veterans receive full retirement and disability pay.
A discharge petition in the House of Representatives has now secured the 218 signatures needed to compel a vote on the Major Richard Star Act, a veterans benefits bill that would allow combat-injured service members to collect full retirement and disability payments. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina signed the petition on Tuesday, joining Democrats and Republicans Jeff Van Drew, Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick and Anna Paulina Luna in reaching the required majority.
The legislation aims to end one outlet practice of offsetting retirement pay by a dollar for each dollar of disability compensation, a policy affecting roughly 59,000 veterans. Although the bill enjoys bipartisan backing, its estimated $11 billion price tag has stalled progress. A separate Republican effort, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, combines the Star Act with other veterans measures but proposes funding cuts to VA benefits for tinnitus and sleep apnea, drawing opposition and also stalling.
With the petition complete, any signatory can trigger a discharge motion within seven legislative days, after which the House must vote on the motion within two days, followed by a vote on the rule and the bill itself. Because the House will be out of town until after the midterms, the vote is expected to be delayed until November.
Why it matters
The petition could finally move a long-blocked benefits bill that would significantly improve pay for thousands of combat-injured veterans.
In this story
