STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1749

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   S.C.R. No. 195

      S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 195, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO AMEND THE UNITED STATES CODE TO PERMIT ALL RETIRED, DISABLED VETERANS TO RECEIVE CONCURRENT RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY PAYMENTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the United States Congress to amend title 10 United States Code section 1414 to permit all retired American veterans who have a service-connected disability to receive concurrent retirement and disability payments regardless of the veteran's disability rating or years of service in the armed forces.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from four individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that retired, disabled veterans who served in the armed forces for twenty or more years and have a United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability rating at or above fifty percent are permitted to receive concurrent retirement and disability payments under existing law.  However, for retired, disabled veterans who are ineligible for concurrent retirement and disability payments, retirement payments continue to be offset by the amount of disability compensation received by the veteran.  Your Committee finds this consequence to be arbitrary and a failure to recognize the distinct bases for the two forms of compensation.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 195, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

TAKASHI OHNO, Chair