Committee supports memorial urging White House to back Richard Star Act for combat-wounded veterans

The Louisiana House Judiciary Committee reported favorably on House Resolution 258 by Representative Charles Owen, which requests the presidential administration to support passage of the Major Richard Star Act in Congress.

Charlton McGinley, identified in committee testimony as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, told the committee the Richard Star Act would correct what he described as a longstanding offset that prevents some combat-wounded veterans from receiving both Department of Defense retirement pay and full Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation. He said "there are numerous, up to 50,000 veterans in the country" affected and that "several hundred Louisianians" would qualify were the bill enacted. McGinley said the bill "has tremendous bipartisan support in Congress" and the backing of major veterans service organizations.

Committee discussion was supportive and Representative Edsman (transcribed) moved the resolution favorably. The motion carried with no objection recorded. The committee’s action was to memorialize federal authorities and did not itself change state law or provide appropriations.

The committee's discussion focused on the policy’s intent to eliminate the offset for certain combat-related disability retirees and on the bill’s support from veterans groups; the transcript records no committee decision on state-level implementation steps because the resolution requests federal action.