Resources
Press

Owens Co-Sponsors Legislation to Provide Disabled Veterans Full Military Benefits

Apr 12, 2022
Congress
Press
Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) co-sponsored the Major Richard Star Act, bipartisan legislation to rectify an injustice that keeps disabled Veterans from receiving full military benefits.

Currently, at least 42,000 military retirees with combat-related injuries qualify for medical retirement pay for their service from the Department of Defense (DoD) and disability compensation for injuries connected to their service from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). However, for retired veterans with less than 20 years of service, their disability pay is deducted from their retirement pay. The Major Richard Star Act would repeal this unfair offset, allowing disabled veterans to receive both their retirement pay and their disability compensation.

“Utah is home to over 143,000 veterans, and it is unconscionable that any policy would deduct from the full military care and benefits they deserve,” said Rep. Owens. “I fully support the Major Richard Star Act because it reverses a longstanding roadblock for America’s disabled veterans to collect both retirement pay and disability compensation.”

The full bill text is available here.

###

Recent Posts

Jul 12, 2024
Congress

Owens Announces DOT Grant Award for Spanish Fork

WASHINGTON – Congressman Burgess Owens (UT-04) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $91,393 grant to the city of Spanish Fork, Utah, for improvement projects at Spanish Fork Municipal Airport. “Utah is leading the nation in innovative and efficient transportation infrastructure, and securing this grant is a testament to our commitment […]

Jul 11, 2024
Congress

Owens Nullifies Biden’s Radical Rewrite of Title IX

WASHINGTON — Congressman Burgess Owens (UT-04) helped pass H.J. Res. 165,  legislation to nullify the Biden administration’s radical Title IX rule, which allows men to enter women and girls’ private spaces. “House Republicans will not let ideological extremism erase decades of progress or endanger the future of women’s sports,” said Rep. Owens. “When Title IX […]