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Inslee listens to a constituent.

Montage of Wing Point in Bainbridge Island and the Edmonds Ferry.

Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District

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Retired Pay and Disability Compensation

February 8 2002

Many brave Americans have made serving in our nation's armed services their life's work. Thousands have been injured or disabled in the course of their duties. It is unfortunate that despite these sacrifices, our retired armed services personnel must give up a part of their earned military retired pay to fund their own disability compensation. I want to update you on my efforts to correct this problem.

I have been working to end this injustice by cosponsoring H.R. 303 and supporting language in the fiscal year 2002 Defense Authorization Act that authorizes retired members of the armed services with a service-connected disability to concurrently receive both military retired pay by reason of their years of military service, and disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability. I voted in support of the National Defense Authorization Act on December 13, 2001, and it was signed into law on December 28, 2001.

While the Defense Authorization Act provision "authorizes" concurrent receipt, it is contingent upon funding being made available. I recently joined my Congressional colleagues in sending letters to President Bush, along with the Chairman and Ranking Democratic Member of the Budget Committee regarding concurrent receipt. In the letters, we strongly urge the President, Chairman Jim Nussle, and Ranking Member John Spratt to include appropriate funding in the fiscal year 2003 budget resolution. Simply put, the brave men and women who serve our nation should receive the retired pay they have earned.

You may also be interested in knowing that the Defense Authorization Act increases the scope and amounts of "special compensation" to severely disabled retirees if concurrent receipt is not funded. While this provision is not ideal, I do believe that it is a step in the right direction.

I will continue my efforts on behalf of the men and women who have served our nation in uniform.