Urging the United States Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act
Summary
House Concurrent Resolution 30 is a nonbinding resolution urging the United States Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102/S. 1032). The resolution states that current federal law reduces a medically retired veteran’s Department of Defense retirement pay by the amount of Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation, and it argues that this offset unfairly denies full earned benefits to veterans who were injured in service and retired with fewer than 20 years of service. The resolution frames the issue as one of fairness, financial hardship, and recognition of distinct military retirement and disability benefits.
The measure does not change West Virginia law or create a state benefit program. Instead, it directs the Clerk of the House to send copies of the resolution to federal leaders and West Virginia’s congressional delegation, formally expressing the Legislature’s support for federal action. Its practical effect is advocacy: it places the state legislature on record in favor of eliminating the offset for eligible disabled veterans under federal law.
Impact
HCR30 has no direct legal effect on state statutes, state agencies, or state spending. Its impact is symbolic and political, using the authority of the West Virginia Legislature to urge Congress to amend federal veterans’ benefits law. If Congress were to enact the Major Richard Star Act, the change would affect federal retirement and disability compensation rules for medically retired veterans nationwide, including West Virginia veterans, by allowing concurrent receipt of full military retirement pay and VA disability compensation without offset.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is strongly supportive of the bill’s underlying federal proposal and sympathetic to disabled veterans. The text emphasizes bipartisan support in Congress, endorsement by veterans’ organizations, and the financial and personal burdens caused by the current offset. Because there were no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no evidence in the available record of organized opposition within the West Virginia legislative process for this resolution.
Contention
The main policy contention is the federal offset rule itself: supporters argue that military retirement pay and disability compensation serve different purposes and should both be paid in full, while the current system reduces benefits for medically retired veterans with fewer than 20 years of service. The resolution highlights the hardship faced by combat-wounded and medically retired veterans, suggesting that the dispute is less about state policy than about whether Congress should correct what supporters view as an inequitable federal benefits structure. No in-state procedural or partisan controversy is shown in the available materials.
To require that all United States Congressional Representatives, United States Senators, federal judges, and cabinet secretaries be natural born United States citizens.
Urging Congress call a convention of the states, under the authority reserved to the states in Article V of the United States Constitution, limited to proposing Amendments to the Constitution of the United States to create fiscal responsibility by and within the federal government.
Urging the United States Congress and the Department of Energy to fulfill federal obligations regarding spent nuclear fuel and establish a permanent repository
Urging the Governor and our federal representatives to assist West Virginians who have and will lose their federal jobs and to do all it their power to prevent these job losses in our state
To waive the one-time $10 fee for a Veterans license plate to any first-time applicants who have an Honorable Discharge from any branch of the United States Military