House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano speaks in support of the Major Richard Star Act. (Photo: The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs)
California Representatives Raul Ruiz (D-25) and Mark Takano (D-39) helped lead a successful effort to move the Major Richard Star Act closer to a vote in the U.S. House after a discharge petition reached the 218 signatures needed to advance the legislation.
Ruiz and Takano, who serves as ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, filed the discharge petition May 21. The petition reached 218 signatures in September, the number required to place a discharge motion on the House calendar.
The House is currently in recess. Under House procedure, the discharge motion must remain on the calendar for seven legislative days before a signer can call it up. Ruiz’s office says the next opportunity is expected after lawmakers return in November. If the House approves the discharge motion, it can then move to a vote on the bill.
The Major Richard Star Act, H.R. 2102, would change federal law for certain Veterans who were medically retired because of combat-related disabilities. Under current rules, some Chapter 61 disability retirees cannot receive their full military retired pay and VA disability compensation at the same time. The legislation would allow eligible retirees to receive both without the existing offset.
The bill was introduced in March 2025 by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), with Ruiz among its original cosponsors. It has since gained support from lawmakers in both parties and from major Veterans service organizations, including The American Legion.
Ruiz and Takano have spent several months pressing for a House vote. Their May discharge petition was filed after the bill had accumulated more than 330 House cosponsors but had not received floor consideration.
The legislation is named for Army Maj. Richard A. Star, a combat Veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was later medically retired because of combat-related injuries. Star was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer and advocated for changes to the retirement-pay offset before his death in 2021.
The proposal would carry a substantial federal cost. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that H.R. 2102 would increase direct federal spending by about $78.1 billion from 2026 through 2036, primarily through higher military retirement payments.
The Major Richard Star Act is also included among the Veteran-related provisions supported by The American Legion through the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, which appears stalled.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted family connection to the military, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.