Five signatures stand between roughly 59,000 combat-injured veterans and a House floor vote on legislation that would end a financial penalty they have carried for years.

As of June 13, 2026, a discharge petition to force a floor vote on the Major Richard Star Act — H.R. 2102 — stands at 213 of the 218 signatures needed. Louisiana's congressional delegation is split on where it stands.

What the bill does

Under current federal law, veterans medically retired due to combat-related disabilities before completing 20 years of service cannot collect both their military retirement pay and their VA disability compensation in full. The two payments are offset dollar-for-dollar — a policy widely known in the veteran community as the "wounded veteran tax."

Veterans who complete 20 years and retire normally face no such penalty. They receive both payments in full under a program called Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP).

The Major Richard Star Act would end the offset entirely, allowing Chapter 61 medical retirees with combat-related disabilities to receive both payments in full, regardless of years served. The bill bears the name of Army Major Richard Star, who was medically retired after a stage IV colon cancer diagnosis attributed to his combat service. He spent his remaining years advocating for the legislation before dying in February 2021.

The bill has 334 House co-sponsors and 80 Senate co-sponsors. The Department of Defense has stated publicly it supports the legislation — without an offset. Every major veterans service organization supports it, including the VFW, DAV, IAVA, Vietnam Veterans of America, and the Military Officers Association of America.

The discharge petition

On April 30, 2026, House Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA) and Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) filed a discharge petition — a rarely used parliamentary procedure that forces a bill out of committee and onto the House floor for a vote when signed by a majority of the full House.

The petition had 157 signatures when it was publicly announced May 21. It climbed to 213 by June 9 — the day of a press conference attended by David Star, Major Star's brother, and representatives of major veterans service organizations.

Of 213 signatures, 211 are Democrats. Two Republicans have signed: Rep. Jefferson Van Drew of New Jersey, who signed June 4, and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who signed June 9.

Five signatures remain.

Then Congress complicated it

One day after the petition reached 213 signatures, House Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL) and Senate Veterans' Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced H.R. 9237 — the Take Care of America's Veterans Act — a 554-page omnibus package that includes a version of the Richard Star Act but funds it by restructuring VA disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus.

The VA projects the restructuring would reduce disability compensation payments by up to $57 billion over ten years, affecting up to 1.5 million veterans.

The response from veterans service organizations was immediate and unified.

VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore said the VFW strongly opposes the bill as drafted because it asks future disabled veterans to bear the cost of expanding benefits. "A grateful nation pays its debts to veterans," Whitmore said. "It does not send them the invoice."

DAV National Commander Coleman Nee said eliminating compensation for sleep apnea and tinnitus is a budget-driven decision that shifts the burden onto those who have already sacrificed. The DAV called on Congress to waive PAYGO budget rules for veterans legislation, noting Congress has routinely waived those rules for other spending priorities.

IAVA formally opposed the bill based on its intent to finance new veterans benefits by reducing earned disability compensation for other disabled veterans.

Where Louisiana stands

WBR Independent contacted every member of Louisiana's congressional delegation with questions about the discharge petition and the Major Richard Star Act. Here is what each said.

Rep. Cleo Fields (LA-06, D) has co-sponsored H.R. 2102 and signed the discharge petition. His office confirmed through Communications Director Sydney Broome that Fields "has been a long time supporter of our veterans."

Rep. Troy Carter (LA-02, D) has signed the discharge petition. His office was contacted for comment and did not respond by publication.

Rep. Clay Higgins (LA-03, R) co-sponsored H.R. 2102 more than a year ago. When asked specifically whether he has signed the discharge petition and when he plans to do so, his Communications Director Mac Malloy said: "I cosponsored the bill over a year ago." He did not answer the discharge petition question directly. Co-sponsoring a bill and signing the discharge petition are distinct actions. Co-sponsorship expresses support for the legislation. The discharge petition is the mechanism to force a floor vote over leadership's objection.

Rep. Steve Scalise (LA-01, R), House Majority Leader, was contacted for comment and did not respond by publication.

Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04, R) was contacted for comment and did not respond by publication. As Speaker, Johnson controls the House floor schedule. The discharge petition exists specifically to force a vote without his approval.

Rep. Julia Letlow (LA-05, R), currently seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in the June 27 runoff, was contacted for comment and did not respond by publication.

John Fleming, Letlow's opponent in the June 27 Republican Senate runoff, responded personally and in full. Fleming said he supports the Major Richard Star Act, believes it should come to a House floor vote, and committed to bringing it to a vote if elected to the Senate. "Veterans have made more sacrifices than any other group of people in our nation," Fleming said. "We owe them more than we can ever give. Despite that, I commit to being their champion in the U.S. Senate."

What happens next

The discharge petition stands at 213 of 218. Five signatures remain. If it reaches 218, the House must bring the Major Richard Star Act to the floor for a vote — regardless of leadership's position.

H.R. 9237, the omnibus package, remains in committee. Whether VSO opposition forces changes to its funding mechanism remains to be seen.

A July congressional recess is approaching. If the petition does not reach 218 before then, momentum could stall.

David Star, brother of the legislation's namesake, was present at the June 9 press conference as the petition neared its threshold. The bill his brother spent his final years fighting for is five signatures away.

WBR Independent contacted every member of Louisiana's congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy, as well as Senate candidates Julia Letlow and John Fleming. Sens. Cassidy and Kennedy did not respond. Rep. Scalise, Speaker Johnson, Rep. Letlow, and Rep. Carter did not respond by publication deadline. Rep. Higgins' office provided a partial response. Rep. Fields' office confirmed his position through a communications staff member. John Fleming responded personally.

Sources: H.R. 2102 and H.R. 9237 bill text via congress.gov; discharge petition signature data via clerk.house.gov; VSO statements via vfw.org, dav.org, and iava.org; congressional statements via democrats-veterans.house.gov.

Disclosure: This reporter is a U.S. Army veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and Chapter 61 medical retiree with a personal stake in the outcome of this legislation.