Thomas Daschle: “Current law--grounded in a century-old statute--requires individuals in receipt of disability compensation from the…”

“Current law--grounded in a century-old statute--requires individuals in receipt of disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, to offset by an equal amount any retired military pay for which they are eligible. The offset requirement discriminates unfairly against disabled career soldiers by requiring them, in effect, to fund their own disability benefits. To correct this gross inequity, Senator Jeffords and I are introducing legislation today that would eliminate the offset on a graduated scale based on the inverse of the retiree's disability rating. For example, a veteran who is 80 percent disabled would have to offset his retirement pay by the amount equal to 20 percent of his total VA disability. This compromise would establish the right of a disabled military retiree to receive at least a portion of his earned military retirement. Current law is problematic because it ignores the proper distinction between military retirement and disability compensation entitlements. Whereas the former is paid to recognize a soldier who has dedicated 20 or more of his or her years to our country's defense, the latter is designed to compensate a veteran for injury incurred in the line of duty. Because the two types of compensation serve two entirely different purposes, receipt of one should not displace receipt of the other. Concurrent receipt is fundamentally a fairness issue. The present law simply discriminates against career military personnel.”