Safeguarding Veteran Benefits From Government Red Tape

The American heroes who fight for our country should receive the benefits they deserve – without burdensome red tape.

Under current law, veterans face barriers to accessing healthcare, disability benefits, and retirement compensation because of outdated policies. Combat-wounded veterans who are medically retired before reaching 20 years of service are even denied the full retirement and VA disability benefits they earned.

Major Richard Star was one of those veterans. After serving 32 years in the Army Reserve with 19 and a half years spent on active duty and nine deployments to combat zones, Major Star was diagnosed with deployment-linked cancer and forced to medically retire–only to be denied his earned full retirement benefits.

Today, House Republicans will bring forward a package of more than 60 bills, including the Major Richard Star Act, to properly honor veterans who sacrificed for our country by strengthening healthcare, improving access to VA benefits and services, and expanding economic opportunities for veterans.

Chairman Mike Bost’s legislation, H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, closes the loophole that denied Major Star his compensation, allowing around 54,000 combat-wounded veterans to receive both their military retirement pay and VA disability compensation. This measure also cuts the red tape that allows bureaucrats to dictate veterans’ healthcare, delay VA clinics and facilities, and restrict veterans from receiving the full scope of their disability benefits.

House Republicans are committed to leaving no veteran behind and ensuring those who sacrifice for our country receive the care and benefits services they earned through their service.