House again urged to allow vets to get both retirement, disability benefits

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., renewed her call Wednesday for an end to federal law under which disabled veterans must give up a portion of their military retirement pensions if they receive federal disability benefits.

The existing benefits scheme is known as "concurrent receipt," but critics call it a disabled veterans tax, a controversial and unresolved issue plaguing the fiscal 2004 defense authorization conference.

Waters issued a statement after the release of a House Government Reform Committee minority staff report quantifying the cost of the existing system. The report found that Waters' state is losing $277 million in benefits each year.

Overall, the Defense Department estimates that 565,000 veterans lose a combined $3 billion-plus in benefits annually due to the tax.

"These men and women served admirably to protect our nation and we are now penalizing them for their bravery," said Waters.

A discharge petition to force a vote on a resolution opposing the system now has 203 signatures, slightly short of the 218 required.