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SJR 68

A JOINT RESOLUTION urging the United States Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act to ensure veterans with disabilities receive their full United States Department of Defense retirement pay and United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation without offset.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Danny Carroll and 13 co-sponsors

Kentucky urges Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act, eliminating the offset that prevents disabled veterans from collecting both full military retirement and VA disability compensation simultaneously.

to Committee on Committees (S)
#disabilities #federallawsandregulations #generalassembly #militaryaffairsandcivildefense #retirementandpensions #shorttitlesandpopularnames #unitedstates #veterans
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Bill Summary · SJR 68

Legislative bill overview

SJR 68 is a Kentucky joint resolution urging Congress to pass the "Major Richard Star Act," which would allow veterans with service-connected disabilities to receive both their full Department of Defense retirement pay and Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation simultaneously. Currently, federal law requires an offset—veterans typically must choose between these two benefit streams rather than receiving both in full.

Why is this important

Veterans with disabilities face a significant financial penalty under current law, sometimes losing thousands of dollars monthly by forfeiting either their military retirement or VA disability benefits. This resolution advocates for eliminating that offset, which could substantially improve financial security for disabled veterans and their families while acknowledging the dual nature of their military service and service-connected injuries.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost to federal government: Eliminating the offset would increase federal spending on veteran benefits, requiring either budget increases or reallocation from other programs
  • Fairness questions: Debate over whether this benefits only military retirees with disabilities versus non-retired disabled veterans, and whether it creates inequitable treatment among veteran populations
  • Implementation complexity: Questions about how to transition current beneficiaries, prevent retroactive payment disputes, and administer the new system across Defense and VA departments

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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