[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6212010,"mediaKeyId","3686234-2872ea0d6725b92a6f50c78755f5e200","parentId",3686234,"title","Committee approves resolution designating June 14 as U.S. Army birthday in Pennsylvania after debate on historical phrasing","audioSeconds",612,"startMs",710000,"endMs",1322000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3686234-2872ea0d6725b92a6f50c78755f5e200&start=710&end=1322","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3686234-2872ea0d6725b92a6f50c78755f5e200/thumbnail_710000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6212010/Pennsylvania/Committee-approves-resolution-designating-June-14-as-US-Army-birthday-in-Pennsylvania-after-debate-on-historical-phrasing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212010-cab623b8165830714c511a7105c250ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1775292452&Signature=oG3uXKzGl-qiMdYuKWdqpw8driFvklfwJ85jD-QwPEqyntDSkS-sfqH8B3ZlC748RjUnpv4bdNTQgg4Lh9un0Kr9LkZ0iuMa~OvZGUUEzopSbn0Os1Wm3A77xhcZi1yqLLe2Wy6qmNOW841hiGL-vERYefewCYYjyobtQx3srXiFrlN119WQbmx51uTI56YBFxb6hBdPQMtm4QExVnN4NIwBWPkZ5qgX3ZTQzFcxFsq-xM3w-v97ISeiK7PX3pJC8AGXU8ejGLRUuAeOBWLKEEvBlSsX-LWGhaAA451sn0yU-0NnckGlQ4cQz8jp9OPlTLEil5NrKBRuKE6VpvZ1tA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pennsylvania House of Representatives","date","2025-06-05T02:55:28Z","article","A House committee on Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness approved House Resolution 206, designating June 14, 2025, as the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army in Pennsylvania, after members debated phrasing that some said could be read as revising historical dates.

Representative Haddock, the resolution’s sponsor, described the measure as an opportunity to honor service members and said the state will mark the anniversary with ceremonies and recognition. Representative Williams questioned the resolution’s wording and asked why the committee would \"revise history,\" noting that the Continental Army and the Declaration of Independence bear on the nation’s founding. \"Why are we running a House resolution to change history?\" Williams asked, arguing the nation’s formal founding date is July 4, 1776.

Representative Haddock responded that June 14, 1775, has long been celebrated as the Army’s birthday and that the resolution reflects the Army’s own traditions. He and other members said the disagreement was primarily about wording, not intent. \"We're not actually changing the birthday of the United States Army,\" one member said, calling the concern a language issue and urging members to use floor amendments if they wanted different phrasing.

Committee members who are Army veterans supported the resolution as honoring continuity from the Continental Army to the present U.S. Army. After discussion, the committee held a roll-call vote; the transcript records multiple members voting \"yes\" by designation and the chair announced, \"It passed unanimously.\" The committee advanced the resolution to the full House.

The resolution is a nonbinding expression of the state legislature’s recognition and does not alter federal military history or legal status. Members said they were open to technical wording changes on the floor if needed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee -- June 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A committee approved House Resolution 206 designating June 14 as the U.S. Army birthday in Pennsylvania; lawmakers debated whether the resolution’s wording inaccurately shifts the Army’s founding relative to the Continental Army and agreed to consider language changes on the floor before unanimous approval.","taxTitle","Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness, House of Representatives, Legislative, Pennsylvania","taxId",29249,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6212015,"Committee urges Congress to pass Major Richard Star Act to restore concurrent benefits for some veterans",65,443000,508000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3686234-2872ea0d6725b92a6f50c78755f5e200&start=443&end=508","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3686234-2872ea0d6725b92a6f50c78755f5e200/thumbnail_443000.jpg","/articles/6212015/Pennsylvania/Committee-urges-Congress-to-pass-Major-Richard-Star-Act-to-restore-concurrent-benefits-for-some-veterans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212015-040728a9c26aa6a26e89bc03f3a41b38/orig.mp4?Expires=1775292452&Signature=oaL78NgPq3fJaCmakH0W0x2T-BJ~gb7ljWnbrR3jlR5F1JAdSi98lVkj-6QdXP5KWJTx445eH9s2tUzvD66rNicxodb0Cnem-wv0EXgZGD0jYNvnp9cRFA~2AX94umH9dTw0GjEPXys9Xtv04CrY01jtsp4ghQs9icgp~S01-wac-4hVF185vxaoMA~aAALeKHrOSP4H8dbsy9hijXhJTgpnx8Ojx6hfWr~-ZqR2nu037lVcf--IpP8vN1gxy-gI15tfb9iVPzAkTl-FbicnnxxYNqc6D1IZIhfJ~Ra-u09DizjuOG3CSYce~k1k6wmxbNLIz8ADW6y13MZcfQ64bQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A House committee on Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness unanimously advanced House Resolution 234, calling on Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act to allow medically retired service members to receive full concurrent retirement and disability benefits.

Representative Piali, the resolution’s sponsor, described Major Richard Starr’s service and advocacy and said the federal Major Richard Star Act would end the practice that reduces military retirement pay by the amount of VA disability benefits for many medically retired service members. \"For every dollar of disability pay that a veteran receives with fewer than 20 years of service and a disability rating below 50% have their retirement payments reduced by that same amount,\" Representative Piali said. He told the committee an estimated 50,000 medically retired service members are affected and that the average offset is about $1,900 per month.

Chair Gillan and other members voiced strong support. \"We need to stop the forfeiting of earned benefits,\" the chair said, urging a unanimous vote. The committee chair moved the resolution to the floor for consideration; the transcript records the committee advancing House Resolution 234 without a recorded opposition.

The measure before the committee was a resolution urging federal action; it does not itself change federal law. Representative Piali framed the action as an expression of the state legislature’s support for federal legislation that would permit concurrent receipt of military retirement pay and Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits for eligible medically retired service members.","A House committee advanced a resolution calling on Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act, which would allow medically retired service members to receive military retirement pay and VA disability benefits concurrently; lawmakers cited an estimated 50,000 affected service members and an average offset of about $1,900 per month.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6212019,"Committee advances bill to expand Pennsylvania National Guard specialty stipends",38,142000,180000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3686234-2872ea0d6725b92a6f50c78755f5e200&start=142&end=180","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3686234-2872ea0d6725b92a6f50c78755f5e200/thumbnail_142000.jpg","/articles/6212019/Pennsylvania/Committee-advances-bill-to-expand-Pennsylvania-National-Guard-specialty-stipends","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212019-6bf513dd359d71b02abfbb19015edec4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775292452&Signature=A371LKO9Bhjv1MhoQIpTIQ4yomkAkQ9PC19vkJSyEeLjIGaAKtaFgk27cdFoLAsyiyETFQfz0rgl24HQrXGlG4IhGqCfPVvXYuthEImXSkpcMjEySGGHWK75kY83aP1QX5vyvAKNxTo~xGH7oKg3a6Oy-cOYsNEBQhMS65eld1ofen~nPoIiLNw-JHrcPznE2GcZXKR96yONMX9uVcbvDNNiSqUKFnRm1HduR0emHTR12itHdCPJbqb3UTFpMN4gAeSlSRVBE2kKCCu~DiJqrLnShce0XtGW~cPYUHP0uAfjw5QnpA6bk9D72nS5-xwNzjbERO0vi~c4U9~qBwfu0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A state House committee on Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness advanced Senate Bill 308 on a voice vote after adopting a technical amendment, sending the measure to the floor for consideration.

The bill, authored in the Senate by Senator Hutchinson, would expand a current stipend program for the Pennsylvania National Guard to include additional specialties beyond medical fields and would tie the amount of any additional monthly stipend to a member’s educational attainment. \"We are attempting to expand a very successful program to help recruiting, in specialties within the Pennsylvania National Guard,\" Senator Hutchinson said during the committee hearing, adding that stipends would be clearer and tied to education level.

Representative Kerwin offered a technical amendment, labeled 777, that changed the term \"medicine residency\" in the bill to \"medical residency.\" \"It's the same change that has been made in House Bill 1102, which is the House companion bill to this Senate bill,\" Representative Kerwin said, and asked for an affirmative vote on the amendment. The committee adopted Representative Kerwin’s amendment and then moved the amended bill to the floor for further consideration.

Committee members praised the bill as a recruiting and retention tool. A committee member said the measure has broad bipartisan support and that the amendment would make the bill stronger. No roll-call vote was recorded in the committee transcript provided; the chair announced the bill \"as amended moves to the floor for consideration.\" The hearing also included references to ongoing technical work with the National Guard and to the companion House measure.

The committee did not set final stipend amounts in the hearing; the bill, as described to the committee, would make stipend size depend on specialty and education level and require additional implementation details to be set either in the statute or through implementing guidance.","A committee advanced Senate Bill 308, which broadens stipend-eligible specialties in the Pennsylvania National Guard and ties additional monthly pay to education level; a technical amendment was adopted before the bill moved to the floor.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee approves resolution designating June 14 as U.S. Army birthday in Pennsylvania after debate on historical phrasing

Committee urges Congress to pass Major Richard Star Act to restore concurrent benefits for some veterans

Committee advances bill to expand Pennsylvania National Guard specialty stipends