2001 SESSION

01-0051

05/10

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1

ANALYSIS

This house concurrent resolution urges the federal government to allow military retirees to receive service-connected disability compensation benefits without requiring them to waive an equal amount of retirement pay.

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01-0051

05/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand One

Whereas, American servicemen and women have dedicated their careers to protecting the rights we all enjoy; and

Whereas, military personnel endure hardships, the threat of death and disability, and long separation from their families in service to their country; and

Whereas, career military personnel accrue retirement pay based on longevity of service and rank at retirement; and

Whereas, service-connected disability pay serves a different purpose from longevity retirement pay and is intended to compensate military personnel for pain, suffering, disfigurement, and impaired earning ability due to disability; and

Whereas, under a 19^th century law that is still in effect, military retirees are denied concurrent receipt of full retirement pay and service-connected disability compensation benefits. They must choose receipt of one or the other or waive an amount of retirement pay equal to the amount of disability compensation; and

Whereas, no other federal employees face a reduction in civil service retirement benefits if they also receive compensation for a service-connected disability; and

Whereas, federal legislation has been introduced to amend Title 38 of the U.S. Code to treat career military retirees like other federal retirees and permit them to receive service-connected disability compensation without requiring a concurrent deduction from retirement pay; and

Whereas, it is fundamentally unfair to require military veterans to essentially fund their own disability compensation by offsetting it against retirement benefits earned in service to their country; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the general court of New Hampshire hereby urges the United States Congress to enact legislation to allow disabled, military retirees to receive service-connected disability compensation benefits without requiring them to waive an equal amount of retirement pay; and

That copies of this resolution be sent by the house clerk to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, the chairpersons of committees of the United States Congress having jurisdiction over Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense; and each member of the New Hampshire congressional delegation.

(Approved: February 22, 2001)