Doug Mastriano, a Senator from Pennsylvania, said that the state’s unanimous resolution urges Congress to permit medically retired veterans to receive both retirement and disability pay. This statement was made on X.
“I was proud to lead the charge on Senate Resolution 116, urging Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102)—and it passed unanimously in the Senate,” said Douglas Vincent Mastriano, Pennsylvania State Senator from 33rd District (R). “Our medically retired veterans shouldn’t have to choose between retirement pay and disability benefits. They’ve earned both. Let’s honor Major Star’s legacy and do right by those who’ve sacrificed for our nation.”
The Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102), which seeks to allow medically retired veterans to receive both disability compensation and retirement pay, has progressed in Congress. It has inspired Pennsylvania’s Senate Resolution 116 urging federal passage, as reported by Military Times. The act has garnered broad bipartisan support and backing from veterans’ groups, reflecting widespread calls to address gaps in federal benefits for combat-injured service members.
According to the Congressional Research Service, over 50,000 medically retired veterans nationwide are currently prohibited from receiving full concurrent disability and retirement benefits due to federal restrictions. These individuals would be the primary beneficiaries of the Major Richard Star Act.
The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that at least 30 state legislatures have introduced or passed resolutions supporting the Major Richard Star Act. This underscores widespread state-level advocacy for reforming veterans’ pay and benefits at the federal level.
Mastriano is a Pennsylvania state senator and retired U.S. Army colonel with a legislative focus on veterans’ issues, as described by Ballotpedia. His priorities include expanding benefits for service members and ensuring robust state support for federal veterans’ initiatives.