HR1204 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1204 LRB096 22230 GRL 41054 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The call to protect our nation has led to the use of the armed services in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Many men and women from the State of Illinois are currently engaged in combat overseas and are permanently under medical retirement under chapter 61 of the United States Code due to the injuries that they received defending our nation; and

WHEREAS, Those who are permanently under medical retirement receive Combat-Related Special Compensation Pay because of their 100% combat related disabilities, but have served less than 20 years in the military and are subsequently unable to receive Concurrent Receipt for their retirement pay; and

WHEREAS, Those who have served less than 20 years in the military are denied their military medical retired pay under Concurrent Receipt once they received their United States Department of Veterans Affairs compensation pay; and

WHEREAS, Federal legislation enacted in 2003 granted retired military personnel with 20 years of service, or those who took early retirement with 15 years of service, to receive Concurrent Receipt; and

WHEREAS, Combat-wounded Purple Heart recipients should not be denied a quality life or be forced to live in poverty as a result of answering our nation's call to arms; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United States Congress to pass legislation to eliminate the required reduction in the amount of combat-related special compensation paid to uniformed service retirees who received combat-related disabilities under Chapter 61 of Title 10 of the United States Code, whose disability is attributed to an injury for which the members were awarded a Purple Heart; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Illinois congressional delegation.