SENATE BILL REPORT

                           SJM 8013

              AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 1, 1994

Brief Description:  Petitioning the president on behalf of disabled veterans.

SPONSORS: Senators Winsley, M. Rasmussen and Oke

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Haugen, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Loveland, McCaslin, Oke and Winsley.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786‑7405)

Hearing Dates: February 23, 1993; January 19, 1994

BACKGROUND:

Under current federal law, veterans with a service-connected disability and with 20 or more years of military service cannot receive concurrently both their full retirement pay and full disability compensation.  Such veterans must choose to receive either their retirement pay or disability compensation, or they must waive an amount of retirement pay equal to the amount of their disability compensation.

This requires disabled military retirees to pay for their own disability compensation benefits out of their earned retirement pay.  A number of measures have been introduced in the United States Congress which would reduce or eliminate this inequity.

SUMMARY:

The United States Congress is requested to amend existing federal law to permit career military retirees with service-connected disabilities to receive concurrently their full retirement pay and their full disability compensation.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

A present inequity exists in federal law.  Approximately 30 percent of veterans fall into the category of having 20 or more years of military service and being disabled with service connected disabilities.  It is inequitable to require veterans to choose between disability payments and retirement payments.  They should receive both.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Keith Sherman, Veterans' Legislative Coalition (pro)