New Bill Would Benefit Retired & Disabled Vets
Dateline: 04/18/00
A bill recently introduced in the U.S. Senate would, according to its sponsors, correct a long standing inequity for veterans who have retired from the Armed Forces with a service-connected disability.
The Armed Forces Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payment Act of 2000, Senate Bill S.2357 sponsored by Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-NV), would change current law by allowing persons who have retired from the U.S. Armed Forces and also have a service-related disability to receive military retired pay concurrently with veterans' disability compensation. [Complete text of this bill.]
Under current law, disabled military retirees who wish to get their disability compensation can only do so if they agree to give up an equal amount of their standard military retirement compensation. According to the sponsors of S.2357, this practice discriminates against disabled career military personnel by essentially requiring them to pay their own disability compensation.
Quoting from Sen. Reid's introductory remarks to the Senate on S.2357, "It is inequitable and unfair for our veterans not to receive both of these payments concurrently. We have an opportunity to show our gratitude to these remarkable men and women who have sacrificed so much for this great country of ours. I hope the Senate will seriously consider passing this legislation, to end at last, this disservice to our retired military men and women."
The bill is cosponsored by Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and is currently before the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
You can keep up with the progress of this bill at: Current Legislation - Veterans' Affairs
Reference Resources
Veteran Benefits
A comprehensive article on benefits available to U.S. veterans from expert Military Guide Rod Powers.Veteran and Retiree Net Links
U.S. Military Guide Rod Power's hand-picked list of Web resources and articles for veterans and military retirees. It doesn't get better than this list.
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