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End The Wounded Veterans Tax That Punishes Our Nation’s Heroes

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Sponsor: The Veterans Site

They gave everything in combat but came home to slashed paychecks and broken promises.

End The Wounded Veterans Tax That Punishes Our Nation’s Heroes

Tens of thousands of America’s wounded veterans are being denied the full benefits they earned through their service. Because they were forced to retire before completing 20 years—due to injuries sustained in combat—they are not allowed to receive both their retirement pay and their VA disability compensation. For every dollar they receive in disability, a dollar is deducted from their retirement pay1.

Veterans call it what it is: the Wounded Veterans Tax.

This policy affects over 50,000 veterans, many of whom live with amputations, traumatic brain injuries, or chronic pain. These men and women were injured serving this country. They didn’t ask to leave the military early. They were forced out by wounds received in war2.

And now, they’re being asked to sacrifice again.

The Major Richard Star Act Can Fix This

The Major Richard Star Act is a bipartisan bill named after a decorated Army combat engineer who died of cancer caused by toxic exposure during deployment. It would finally end the Wounded Veterans Tax by allowing medically retired combat-injured veterans to receive their full benefits—no offsets, no exceptions1.

It has overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, with more than 270 cosponsors in the House and over 70 in the Senate2. Every major veterans service organization supports it. Even members of Congress agree it’s long overdue. But leadership has failed to bring it to a vote.

In the meantime, wounded veterans are losing an average of $1,200 per month—money they need to feed their families, pay rent, or afford care2.

This Is Not a Handout. It’s Justice.

Critics call it “double-dipping.” But retirement pay and disability compensation come from different agencies and serve different purposes3. A combat-wounded veteran who is medically retired should not be punished for circumstances beyond their control.

This injustice sends the wrong message to every person who wears the uniform: if you’re injured before 20 years, your country won’t stand behind you. It betrays the promise made to every service member that we will take care of them if they come home broken.

Congress has the power to fix this now.

If lawmakers truly support our veterans, they need to prove it—not in speeches, but in action.

Call on Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act. Sign the petition today.

More on this issue:

  1. Washington Report, National Guard Association of the United States (25 Mar 2025), "Bill Would Give Combat-Disabled Veterans Full Benefits."
  2. Mike Glenn, Washington Times (21 May 2025), "Veterans groups pushing for Congress to pass bill ending ‘Wounded Veterans Tax’."
  3. Zoë Richards, NBC News (23 May 2025), "A double amputee who served in Iraq is pushing lawmakers to end the 'wounded veterans tax'."

The Petition

To the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, and Members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives,

We, the undersigned, call upon you to immediately support and pass the Major Richard Star Act and eliminate the unjust policy known as the “Wounded Veterans Tax.” This outdated and deeply unfair rule penalizes medically retired veterans with combat-related injuries by stripping away the full retirement pay they have earned—simply because they did not serve 20 years before being forced out due to injuries sustained in war.

These men and women answered our nation’s call, risked everything, and came home with visible and invisible wounds. Many lost limbs. Others live with traumatic brain injuries and chronic pain. All sacrificed for this country. Yet upon returning, they face a system that tells them their service was not long enough to deserve both disability compensation and retirement benefits.

This isn’t a matter of double-dipping. It’s a matter of double sacrifice. These veterans did not choose to leave the military—they were forced out due to injuries sustained in defense of our freedoms. Stripping them of earned benefits adds insult to injury and burdens families already carrying the costs of war.

The Major Richard Star Act corrects this injustice. It has broad bipartisan support, the backing of every major veterans service organization, and the power to deliver long-overdue relief to more than 50,000 combat-injured Americans.

We urge you to act now. Passing this legislation will not only fulfill a moral obligation to those who served—it will restore trust in a system that claims to support its defenders.

Honor their service. End the Wounded Veterans Tax. Pass the Major Richard Star Act.

By doing so, you will help build a nation that truly stands behind its veterans—ensuring a stronger, more just future for all.

Sincerely,

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