Bill that could add $1,450 a month on average for 58,000 veterans heads to U.S. Senate

NewsHundreds gather for the 79th National Veterans Day Parade, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, in Birmingham, Ala. The parade is the nation’s oldest Veterans Day parade, first celebrated in 1947 to honor service members of all U.S. conflicts. (Will McLelland/AL.com)Will McLellandBy Kayode Crown | kcrown@al.comThe U.S. House of Representatives passed the Major Richard Star Act Thursday. The bill would ensure that veterans who medically retire from combat-related disabilities before clocking 20 years of service receive their full retirement pay.Currently, some veterans see their retirement pay reduced by the amount they receive in Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits.For instance, a veteran entitled to $2,750 a month in retirement pay who also receives $2,500 in VA disability benefits would collect only $250 in retirement pay. If disability benefits equal or exceed the retirement amount, the veteran receives no retirement pay.As of September 2025, 58,000 veterans fell into that category, according to the Department of Defense’s Office of the Actuary. The Congressional Budget Office expects that number to reach about 65,000 by 2036.Under the Major Richard Star Act, affected veterans “would receive about $1,450 more each month in total compensation under the bill than they will under current law,” amounting to $17,400 annually, according to an Oct. 27 CBO report.The bill passed Thursday 392-18, with 181 Republicans, 210 Democrats and one Independent voting in favor.Separately, the House had on Wednesday unanimously passed the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, a broader package of more than 60 veterans-related measures that includes the Major Richard Star Act.Kayode Crown covers trending news and national stories, with a focus on money, federal benefits, military contracts, space news, collectibles and government programs that affect readers across the country. He...