Sen. Moran spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of Congress finding a path forward to pass the Major Richard Star Act, which would allow veterans with service-connected disabilities to retain both their full military retirement pay and disability compensation pay.
Work to pass the Major Richard Star Act to allow veterans with service-connected disabilities to receive both full military retirement pay and disability compensation pay.
Occurrences
MOAA continues its work to secure passage of the Major Richard Star Act during the 119th session of Congress. The bill would end an unjust pay offset faced by tens of thousands of combat-injured veterans who lose a dollar of earned military retirement pay for every dollar of VA disability they receive.
“Congress must work to make certain our veterans aren’t being shortchanged by unfair rules that result in one benefit they’ve earned as a servicemember canceling out another benefit they’re entitled to as a veteran,” said Moran. “This bipartisan legislation would ensure combat-wounded veterans are able to receive their full disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs and retirement pay from the Department of Defense without having their disability pay deducted from their retirement pay.”
Evidence
On March 3, 2026, Senator Jerry Moran spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of passing the Major Richard Star Act, emphasizing his commitment to working with colleagues to find a path forward for the legislation.
As of April 2, 2026, the Major Richard Star Act had 317 cosponsors in the House and 78 in the Senate. Despite strong support, the bill had not been brought to the floor for a vote in either chamber.
On February 22, 2021, Senator Moran, along with Senators Tester and Crapo, introduced the Major Richard Star Act to provide combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of service their full benefits.
Veterans groups, led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., returned to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to make another plea for Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act, which would grant full retirement pay plus disability compensation to combat-wounded veterans whose injuries forced them to leave the military early.
House and Senate members, along with prominent veterans’ organizations, hope 2026 will be the year Congress passes legislation to give 54,000 wounded veterans their military retirement pay and Veterans Affairs disability compensation — without one offsetting the other.
Today, Ranking Member Blumenthal asked for unanimous consent for passage of S. 1032, the Major Richard Star Act, on the floor of the U.S. Senate. This is the first time the motion was made since it failed to pass in October, held up then by Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi. I regret to announce that it was turned down again, this time by Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
Bob Stark, a combat-injured Iraq War veteran from Bettendorf, and State Rep. Ken Croken on Tuesday headed to Washington, D.C., to present Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley and U.S. Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks with a resolution urging passage of the Major Richard Star Act.
The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee said Moran helped introduce the Major Richard Star Act with Tester and Crapo, describing it as legislation to give combat-injured veterans under 20 years of service both retirement pay and VA disability compensation by ending the offset.
Congress.gov shows S.1032, the Major Richard Star Act, was introduced in the Senate on March 13, 2025 and lists Senator Moran among the original cosponsors; the bill text would amend title 10 to allow concurrent receipt of disability compensation and retired pay for combat-related disability retirees.
Congress.gov lists the latest action on S.1032 as introduction and referral to the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 13, 2025, with the tracker still showing the bill as Introduced rather than passed the Senate or enacted.
Congress.gov's bill history records an objection to a request for consideration of S. 1032 in the Congressional Record, indicating the bill was blocked from easy floor consideration in the Senate.
The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee said Moran spoke on the Senate floor and pledged to keep working with colleagues in a bipartisan way to find a path forward and ultimately pass the Major Richard Star Act.
Congress.gov still shows S.1032 as "Introduced" with the latest action as "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services" on 03/13/2025; the tracker lists no Senate passage, House passage, or enactment.
The committee homepage shows its latest Major Richard Star Act-related item as the Apr. 30, 2026 post "Following Pressure from Blumenthal, Hegseth Announces Commitment to Major Richard Star Act at Hearing," but no May 17-19, 2026 update or enacted-legislation notice appears on the page.
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (Introduced 03/13/2025). Latest Action: Senate - 03/13/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. Tracker: This bill has the status Introduced.
Assessments
The promised policy outcome has not been delivered: the Major Richard Star Act has not passed Congress or been enacted, and recent reporting still describes it as awaiting floor action despite broad support. Moran did materially support the effort by helping introduce earlier versions, serving as an original cosponsor of S.1032 in the 119th Congress, and publicly pushing for passage, so this qualifies for an effort badge. Because the bill remains unpassed during Moran's current federal Senate term, the outcome is not fulfilled rather than delivered or partial.
Moran materially worked on the Major Richard Star Act: he helped introduce earlier versions, was an original cosponsor of S.1032 in the 119th Congress, and publicly pushed for passage in 2026. However, the promised outcome was to pass the Act and allow covered disabled veterans to receive both full retirement pay and disability compensation. The evidence shows S.1032 remained introduced/referred and that unanimous-consent attempts were blocked; there is no Senate passage, House passage, or enactment by May 19, 2026. Because there was serious legislative effort but the policy was not delivered, this is a failed promise with an effort badge.
The promised outcome was to work to pass the Major Richard Star Act so eligible combat-injured veterans could receive both retirement pay and VA disability compensation. Moran materially advanced the bill by helping introduce earlier versions and serving as an original cosponsor in the 119th Congress, and he publicly continued pushing for passage in 2026. However, Congress.gov still shows S.1032 as only introduced and referred to committee, with no Senate passage, House passage, or enactment, and later 2026 evidence shows unanimous-consent efforts were blocked. Because there was serious legislative effort but the promised policy has not passed, this is not delivered.
Senator Moran made repeated legislative efforts, including co-introducing the Major Richard Star Act, publicly advocating for its passage, and working with colleagues, as confirmed by several pieces of evidence. Despite having broad bipartisan support and multiple legislative attempts, the Act was blocked in the Senate more than once and ultimately did not pass. The promise to pass the Act was not delivered, but significant legitimate effort was demonstrated.
Senator Jerry Moran fulfilled his promise to work for the passage of the Major Richard Star Act by co-introducing the bill, advocating for it on the Senate floor, and supporting bipartisan efforts to advance the legislation. However, as of April 2026, the act had not passed either chamber of Congress despite substantial legislative momentum and support. Thus, the substantive outcome of the promise—actual passage of the Act—has not been delivered. Given Moran’s clear and significant legislative effort, the 'effort_badge' is warranted.