H 4673 Concurrent Resolution, By J.L.M. Cromer

Similar(H 4675)
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO MEMORIALIZE THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO
 AMEND THE UNITED STATES CODE TO PERMIT FULL CONCURRENT RECEIPT OF MILITARY
 LONGEVITY RETIREMENT PAY AND SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY COMPENSATION
 BENEFITS.

   02/19/98  House  Introduced HJ-6
   02/19/98  House  Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial
                     Resolutions HJ-6

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO MEMORIALIZE THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO AMEND THE UNITED STATES CODE TO PERMIT FULL CONCURRENT RECEIPT OF MILITARY LONGEVITY RETIREMENT PAY AND SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY COMPENSATION BENEFITS.

Whereas, over 6,633 South Carolinians have given their lives for their country in World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf Conflict, and over 41,524 South Carolinians remain living with service-connected disabilities from injuries inflicted on them while they were serving their country; and

Whereas, those servicemen and servicewomen who have chosen to make a career of defending their country are integral to the success of our military forces throughout the world; and

Whereas, currently disabled veterans receive compensation proportionate to the severity of their injuries; and military retirees, who have served at least 20 years, accrue retirement pay based on longevity; and

Whereas, federal legislation has been introduced to amend Title 38 of the U. S. Code to eliminate an antiquated inequity which still exists in the federal law applicable to retired career service personnel who also receive service-related disability benefits; and

Whereas, under the 19th century law, these disabled career service personnel are denied concurrent receipt of full retirement pay and disability compensation benefits; and they must choose receipt of one or the other or waive an amount of retirement pay equal to the amount of disability compensation benefits; and

Whereas, this discrimination unfairly denies disabled military retirees the longevity pay they have earned by their years of devoted patriotism and loyalty to their country; and, in effect, requires them to pay for their own disability compensation benefits; and

Whereas, many retirees in South Carolina and across the nation, were recalled and actually returned to active duty for service in Operation Desert Storm and returned home disabled; but, when these loyal Guardsmen and Reservists arrived back home, they were not eligible to receive both Veterans Administration disability and retirement pay; and

Whereas no such inequity applies to retired Congress-persons, Federal civil service job-holders, or other retirees who are receiving service-related disability benefits; and

Whereas, America's career service-personnel's commitment to their country--in pursuit of national and international goals--must be matched by their own country's allegiance to them for those sacrifices; and

Whereas, a statutory change is required to correct this injustice. Now therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina urge the Congress of the United States to amend the United States Code relating to the computation of retired pay to permit full concurrent receipt of military longevity retired pay and service-connected disability compensation benefits.

Be it further resolved that certified copies of this resolution be forwarded to the presiding officers and the majority and minority leaders of both houses of the Congress of the United States, to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, to the President of the United States, to the Secretary of Defense, and to each member of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation.