House Passes 392-18 Bill to Fund Combat-Injured Veterans' Retirement Benefits
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Nov 12
House Passes 392-18 Bill to Fund Combat-Injured Veterans' Retirement Benefits
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 12
Summary
A 392-18 House vote approved a stand-alone Richard Star Act bill that would let combat-injured retirees collect full military retirement pay alongside disability benefits.
The measure omits Republican-backed cuts to future sleep apnea and tinnitus benefits, rejecting the main funding offset in a broader veterans package estimated to cost $12.8 billion over 10 years.
That broader bill had cleared the House a day earlier on a voice vote after Republicans accelerated floor action, drawing Democratic accusations that leaders avoided a recorded vote on politically risky benefit cuts.
The Senate path remains uncertain: Veterans' Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran backs the Republican package, while senior Democrat Richard Blumenthal opposes the proposed cuts, leaving both House bills facing steep obstacles.