Have any of you heard about the Retired Pay Restoration Act?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 20:05:03 -0400

Retired Pay Restoration Act
https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/DAV/Campaigns/39810/Respond

On Jan. 13, Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL) introduced H.R. 303, the Retired Pay Restoration Act. This bill would end the unfair policy of forcing many military longevity retirees to forfeit some of their retired pay in order to receive equal amounts of disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The effect of this policy means military retirees are paying for their own disability with their military retired pay. This policy has adversely impacted disabled veterans and their families for more than a century, but was partially repealed by Congress in 2004. Under current law disabled veterans with 20-plus years of active military service who are also in receipt of a VA disability determination of 50 percent or higher may retain both military retirement pay and their VA compensation. In line with DAV resolution 014, H.R. 303 would end the longstanding practice of the government’s withholding of military longevity retired pay in exchange for VA disability compensation, regardless of disability rating.

DAV believes what is unfair for a veteran rated 50 percent disabled or higher by the VA is equally unfair for a disabled veteran rated 40 percent disabled or lower. Disabled military longevity retirees should not be penalized by the government for any reason.

Currently, H.R. 303 has bipartisan support. This legislation was referred to the House Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs for a period to be determined by the Speaker of the House.

Please use the prepared email at http://www.votervoice.net/link/target/dav/JBtt285P3.aspx, or draft your own message, to request that your Representative support this important bill and ask that it be brought to the floor for a vote and passed as soon as possible. Thank you for all that you do for veterans and their families. We need your grassroots action to gain Congressional enactment of this important legislation.

Mary Schantag, Chairman
pownetwork.org

can - DAV

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2015 8:07 PM

Col Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 20:07:09 -0400

Never heard of it, but I am glad you brought it up!!

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2015 8:14 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 20:14:27 -0400

Been an ongoing thing for awhile. Hopefully it will pass. Vets groups are supporting.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 30 at 2015 8:52 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 20:52:42 -0400

I am confused, I am not the most luminous light bulb in the universe, but I get my longevity retirement and full VA disability amount. So I am confused.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 2 at 2015 3:26 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 02 May 2015 15:26:52 -0400

The name alone suggests overpromising of something they can't deliver. There's been several versions of this bill, not one has passed. “Our veterans should be above political games,” Cruz said at the Million Vets March on Oct. 13. “Veterans have proven they are not timid. And we will not be timid in calling out anybody that uses the military as pawns,” Palin said at the same event. “We can only be America, home of the free, if we are America, home of the brave.”

So, pardon the forthcoming blue language, where the F*** are they now! The government’s track record at delivering on those promises in recent years has been discouraging, to say the least. it all leads to disappointments as high costs and consequences are revealed. Then a new round of reform begins and the circus goes back on the road doing their show.