House to vote Wednesday on Star Act ending 'wounded veteran tax' on retired pay

The House is set to vote Wednesday, Veterans Day, on the Major Richard Star Act. The bill (H.R. 2102) would end what advocates call the "wounded veteran tax" on combat-wounded troops who were medically retired ¹.

Newsweek reported the vote was forced by a discharge petition. That is a way for members to bring a bill to the floor without the Speaker's approval. Rep. Mark Takano of California, the top Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, filed it ¹.

On tapeRep. Mark Takano · Nov 9

▶0:33

What the bill changes

Today, a veteran who retires with fewer than 20 years of service loses $1 of military retirement pay for every $1 of VA disability compensation received ¹. Retirement pay is earned from the Department of Defense. Disability pay comes from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offset lost earnings and lifelong medical conditions ¹.

Only veterans with more than 20 years of service and a VA disability rating above 50 percent can now collect both in full ¹. The Star Act would extend that to medically retired veterans with shorter careers ¹.

The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) says more than 50,000 veterans would benefit, by an average of $1,200 a month each ¹. Takano put the number of combat-injured veterans waiting for relief at 59,000 ¹.

How it got to the floor

The petition reached the required 218 signatures. Newsweek reported that five Republicans signed ¹. Roll Call reported on Sept. 16 that Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, signed last, along with Republican Reps. Jeff Van Drew, Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick and Anna Paulina Luna ². Roll Call said every House Democrat also signed ².

That was a rare break from House Republican leaders. The House then left town until after the midterms, so the vote waited until now ².

We refuse to settle for half-measures when it comes to our nation’s combat-injured veterans

Rep. Joe Courtney, a Connecticut Democrat and co-sponsor, said veterans will be watching how members vote ¹.

On Wednesday, it will be time to finally pass a clean Richard Star Act

The Senate and the cost

Passing the House does not make it law. The Senate must also act, and Newsweek reported the cost could stall it there ¹. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Congress's nonpartisan scorekeeper, estimates the bill would add $13 billion in direct spending from 2027 through 2036 ¹. Roll Call reported a lower estimate of about $11 billion for the retirement pay increase ².

Time is short. Bills that have not passed both chambers when the 119th Congress ends in January 2027 must be reintroduced in the next Congress ¹.

Republicans also introduced the Take Care of America's Veterans Act. It combines the Star Act with other stalled veterans bills. It would pay for the benefit by writing into law a proposed rule to cut VA benefits for tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and sleep apnea ². Roll Call reported that some veterans groups, Democrats and some Republicans opposed that approach, and the bill is stalled ².

That matters because the fight is now over whether a clean bill passes or a veterans benefit is paid for by cutting other veterans' benefits. Wednesday's vote will show where each member stands.

The Record

1. Sep 16, 2026Rep. Nancy Mace's signature put the Star Act discharge petition at 218, enough to force a House vote ².
2. Nov 10, 2026Newsweek reports the House is set to vote on the Major Richard Star Act this week ¹.
3. Nov 11, 2026Rep. Joe Courtney says the House vote is expected Wednesday, Veterans Day ¹.

Free to reprint Republish this story on your site or in your newsletter

Any site, blog or newsletter may run this story free of charge. Keep the credit line and its link to the original, do not sell it, and edit only for length or house style (the full terms). Photos carry their own licenses, noted under each photo on this page, so use the text alone unless a credit says otherwise.

<h2>House to vote Wednesday on Star Act ending &#39;wounded veteran tax&#39; on retired pay</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files National Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/house-to-vote-wednesday-on-star-act-ending-wounded-veteran-tax-on-retired-pay">The GOP Files</a> on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.</em></p> <p>The House is set to vote Wednesday, Veterans Day, on the Major Richard Star Act. The bill (H.R. 2102) would end what advocates call the &quot;wounded veteran tax&quot; on combat-wounded troops who were medically retired .</p> <p>Newsweek reported the vote was forced by a discharge petition. That is a way for members to bring a bill to the floor without the Speaker&#39;s approval. Rep. Mark Takano of California, the top Democrat on the House Veterans&#39; Affairs Committee, filed it .</p> <h2>What the bill changes</h2> <p>Today, a veteran who retires with fewer than 20 years of service loses $1 of military retirement pay for every $1 of VA disability compensation received . Retirement pay is earned from the Department of Defense. Disability pay comes from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offset lost earnings and lifelong medical conditions .</p> <p>Only veterans with more than 20 years of service and a VA disability rating above 50 percent can now collect both in full . The Star Act would extend that to medically retired veterans with shorter careers .</p> <p>The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) says more than 50,000 veterans would benefit, by an average of $1,200 a month each . Takano put the number of combat-injured veterans waiting for relief at 59,000 .</p> <h2>How it got to the floor</h2> <p>The petition reached the required 218 signatures. Newsweek reported that five Republicans signed . Roll Call reported on Sept. 16 that Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, signed last, along with Republican Reps. Jeff Van Drew, Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick and Anna Paulina Luna . Roll Call said every House Democrat also signed .</p> <p>That was a rare break from House Republican leaders. The House then left town until after the midterms, so the vote waited until now .</p> <blockquote><p>We refuse to settle for half-measures when it comes to our nation’s combat-injured veterans</p><p>&mdash; Mark Takano, Ranking member, House Veterans&#39; Affairs Committee, Democrat-California</p></blockquote> <p>Rep. Joe Courtney, a Connecticut Democrat and co-sponsor, said veterans will be watching how members vote .</p> <blockquote><p>On Wednesday, it will be time to finally pass a clean Richard Star Act</p><p>&mdash; Joe Courtney, U.S. Representative, Democrat-Connecticut</p></blockquote> <h2>The Senate and the cost</h2> <p>Passing the House does not make it law. The Senate must also act, and Newsweek reported the cost could stall it there . The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Congress&#39;s nonpartisan scorekeeper, estimates the bill would add $13 billion in direct spending from 2027 through 2036 . Roll Call reported a lower estimate of about $11 billion for the retirement pay increase .</p> <p>Time is short. Bills that have not passed both chambers when the 119th Congress ends in January 2027 must be reintroduced in the next Congress .</p> <p>Republicans also introduced the Take Care of America&#39;s Veterans Act. It combines the Star Act with other stalled veterans bills. It would pay for the benefit by writing into law a proposed rule to cut VA benefits for tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and sleep apnea . Roll Call reported that some veterans groups, Democrats and some Republicans opposed that approach, and the bill is stalled .</p> <p>That matters because the fight is now over whether a clean bill passes or a veterans benefit is paid for by cutting other veterans&#39; benefits. Wednesday&#39;s vote will show where each member stands.</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/house-to-vote-wednesday-on-star-act-ending-wounded-veteran-tax-on-retired-pay">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/house-to-vote-wednesday-on-star-act-ending-wounded-veteran-tax-on-retired-pay.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

Copy the HTML Paste it into your editor's HTML view. The one-pixel image at the end tells our newsroom the story ran; it stores no reader data.

Sources

1. Newsweek, “What Richard Star Act Means for Veterans With House Set to Vote” (2026-11-10). newsweek.com/what-richard-star-act-means-for-veterans-with-h
2. Roll Call, “Veterans benefit bill gets 218 signatures on discharge petition” (2026-09-16). rollcall.com/2026/09/16/veterans-benefit-bill-gets-218-signa

Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.