House passes competing veterans benefits bills amid funding dispute

The House passed two competing bills this week aimed at changing veterans' benefits, particularly for those with combat-related disabilities, Government Executive reported.

One bill, the Major Richard Star Act, would allow veterans forced to retire early due to combat injuries to collect full military retirement pay alongside VA disability benefits. Currently, these payments are offset dollar-for-dollar, affecting about 59,000 veterans.

The other bill, the Taking Care of America’s Veterans Act, includes a less generous version of the Star Act and proposes billions in spending cuts to VA benefits, especially those related to tinnitus and sleep apnea, conditions common among combat veterans, according to Government Executive.

The New York Times noted that the Star Act passed with a lopsided House vote of 392 to 18, with bipartisan support, but faces uncertainty in the Senate due to disagreements over funding. The Republican-led bill includes cuts to veterans' benefits to finance the changes, which some Democrats and veterans groups oppose.

Senators on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee hold differing views: the Republican chairman supports the Republican bill, while the senior Democrat opposes the proposed benefit cuts, as reported by the New York Times.

Veterans organizations have expressed concern over the process and content of the bills, describing the House maneuver as "treachery" and "cowardly," according to Government Executive.

Both bills now face significant challenges in the Senate, where their future remains uncertain.