The Major Richard Star Act guarantees that our Veterans receive the full benefits they have earned through their service and sacrifice in defense of our nation, regardless of their length of service.
February 26, 2026
The Honorable Gus Bilirakis
12th Congressional District of Florida
2306 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Bilirakis,
On behalf of AMAC Action, the advocacy affiliate of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) with over 2 million members nationwide, including over 9,100 residing in FL-12, I write to express our strong support for H.R. 2102, the Major Richard Star Act.
AMAC is proud to count many Veterans among its membership, and AMAC Action prioritizes advocating for the fair treatment of those who have sacrificed in service to our great nation. The Major Richard Star Act corrects a deep injustice for combat-wounded Veterans and rectifies a flawed disability system.
At present, only Veterans who have a disability rating above 50 percent and have completed more than 20 years of service can receive both their full Department of Defense retirement pay and their full Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation. This excludes more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees from receiving their complete earned benefits.
The Major Richard Star Act guarantees that our Veterans receive the full benefits they have earned through their service and sacrifice in defense of our nation, regardless of their length of service.
Thank you, Representative Bilirakis, and your many bipartisan co-sponsors, for standing up for these American heroes and working to correct this longstanding injustice.
Sincerely,
Andrew J. Mangione Jr.
Senior Vice President
AMAC Action
It doesn’t matter if you got shot, blown up, lost a limb, got malaria, PTSD, Parkinson’s, lung cancer from some chemical, or haven’t had a full nights sleep in over 60 years. My country called and I answered the call and joined the USMC and I would do it again in a minute. I am 100 percent disabled and fighting with most of the above, and thankful for the care the VA gives me! I am also thankful for AMAC and all they do for us. Semper fi!