For more than five years, the Major Richard Star Act went nowhere in Congress. That may be changing. On April 30, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Armed Services Committee directly: “As I have said in the past to other organizations, we support the Richard Star Act.” For roughly 54,000 combat-disabled retirees watching their military retirement pay disappear dollar-for-dollar against their VA disability compensation, it’s the most significant development the legislation has seen since it was named for Maj. Richard Star, who died of burn-pit-related lung cancer on February 13, 2021, while Congress stalled.
No vote is scheduled. The bill has been blocked twice on the Senate floor in the past year alone. But Hegseth’s public commitment is, at minimum, the closest thing to a breakthrough this fight has had.
What the Bill Does — and What the Offset Costs Veterans Now
Under current law, veterans medically retired before completing 20 years of service receive Combat-Related Special Compensation — CRSC — but their DoD retirement pay is simultaneously reduced dollar-for-dollar by whatever VA disability compensation they receive. Some veterans net zero retirement pay. The FY2003 and FY2004 National Defense Authorization Acts fixed this exact problem for retirees with 20-plus years and a VA rating of 50% or higher through Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP). They left behind everyone forced out early by combat injuries.
The gap isn’t small. According to CBO data from September 2025, the average CRSC-eligible retiree hit by the offset loses roughly $2,300 per month in retirement pay while receiving only about $850 per month in CRSC. Under the Star Act, those same veterans would receive approximately $1,450 more per month in total compensation. MOAA puts the average gain at around $1,200 per month.
Who Qualifies Under the Star Act
Three criteria. A veteran must be medically retired under Chapter 61, eligible for CRSC, and carrying a combat-related disability rating of at least 10%. Veterans who were medically separated rather than retired don’t qualify. The bill is also not retroactive — there’s no back pay for years already lost to the offset.
If enacted, eligible veterans would receive a letter during an “open season” window — January 1–31 — allowing them to switch from CRSC to full Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay. Each veteran would choose between their current CRSC arrangement or receiving both their full DoD retirement and full VA compensation. One detail worth noting: CRSC remains tax-free, while CRDP is taxable — a real factor in the individual math for every veteran making that call.
What’s Blocking It — and What Hegseth’s Support Changes
Cost has been the consistent kill shot. On March 3, 2026, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) blocked a unanimous consent vote on the Senate floor, citing a price tag of $10 billion to $12 billion over ten years and the $39 trillion national debt. A March 23, 2026 CBO score for H.R. 2102 pegged the total cost significantly higher — $78 billion over the 2026–2036 period — a figure that likely reflects differences in scope, scoring methodology, or assumptions compared to the estimate Johnson cited. An attempt to attach the bill as an amendment to the FY2026 NDAA in July 2025 also failed.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the bill’s most vocal Senate champion, framed Hegseth’s testimony simply: “The cost of war includes caring for our veterans.” Blumenthal and other sponsors are pushing for a floor vote by Veterans Day 2026 — though the bill must still clear the Senate Armed Services Committee before it reaches the full chamber. Pentagon backing removes one major objection. Cost remains the wall.
“Right now, combat-injured veterans are getting a dollar-for-dollar reduction of their military retirement pay from their VA disability benefits. They’re entitled to both, they’ve earned both. The nation promised them both. They deserve both.” — Sen. Richard Blumenthal, March 3, 2026
“My brother stood in this very spot asking for support of this bill. He passed away five years ago, and we’ve had four congresses since then to get it done.” — David Star, brother of Maj. Richard Star, April 15, 2026
One More Case to Watch — Soto v. United States
Separate from the Star Act entirely, oral arguments in Soto v. United States were heard April 28, 2026. Marine veteran Simon Soto and approximately 9,000 class members are challenging the six-year statute of limitations on CRSC back pay. A favorable ruling — expected by June 2026 — could open the door to unlimited retroactive CRSC payments dating back to each veteran’s original eligibility date.
What Affected Veterans Should Do Now
The bill has not passed. Do not change your current CRSC elections.
If you believe you qualify — medically retired under Chapter 61, CRSC-eligible, combat-related disability of 10% or higher — contact your branch’s CRSC review board now to confirm your eligibility status is current and your file is complete. Each branch runs its own board. The application requires your VA rating decision, service records documenting the combat nexus for each disability, and the branch-specific CRSC application form. Processing runs three to six months, and approved CRSC payments are retroactive under current law.
Watch the Senate Armed Services Committee calendar. If the bill clears committee, a floor vote before Veterans Day 2026 is the target.
Sources
- Newsweek — VA Benefits Change Boosted by Trump Administration
- MOAA — Pentagon Backs Major Richard Star Act
- Congress.gov — H.R. 2102, Major Richard Star Act (119th Congress)
- Congress.gov — S. 1032, Major Richard Star Act (119th Congress)
- Congressional Budget Office — Cost Estimate, H.R. 2102 (March 23, 2026)
- Sen. Blumenthal Press Release — April 30, 2026 Senate Hearing
- VFW — National Commander Statement on Major Richard Star Act
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