I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 303
To amend title 10, United States Code, to permit retired members of the 
Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to 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. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 8, 2003
Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself, Mr. EVANS, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. FILNER, Mr. 
ROSS, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. BARTLETT of 
Maryland, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. 
RODRIGUEZ, Mr. NADLER, Mr. EDWARDS, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. KENNEDY 
of Minnesota, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. SHAW, Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico, 
Mr. LEVIN, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, and 
Mr. OSBORNE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to permit retired 
members of the Armed Forces who have a service-con-
nected disability to 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.
otherwise creditable under section 1405 of this title at the 
time of the member’s retirement is subject to reduction 
under sections 5304 and 5305 of title 38, but only to the 
extent that the amount of the member’s retired pay under 
chapter 61 of this title exceeds the amount of retired pay 
to which the member would have been entitled under any 
other provision of law based upon the member’s service 
in the uniformed services if the member had not been re-
tired under chapter 61 of this title. 
‘‘(c) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (a) does not apply to 
a member retired under chapter 61 of this title with less 
than 20 years of service otherwise creditable under section 
1405 of this title at the time of the member’s retirement. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘retired pay’ includes retainer 
pay, emergency officers retirement pay, and naval 
pension. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘veterans’ disability compensa-
tion’ has the meaning given the term ‘compensation’ 
in section 101(13) of title 38.’’. 
(b) REPEAL
OF
SPECIAL
COMPENSATION
PRO-
GRAMS.—Sections 1413 and 1413a of such title are re-
pealed. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by striking
the items relating to sections 1413, 1413a, and 1414 and 
inserting the following:
‘‘1414. Members eligible for retired pay who have service-connected disabilities: 
payment of retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation.’’.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE; PROHIBITION ON RETROACTIVE 
BENEFITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this 
Act shall take effect on—
(1) the first day of the first month that begins 
after the date of the enactment of this Act; or 
(2) the first day of the fiscal year that begins 
in the calendar year in which this Act is enacted, if 
later than the date specified in paragraph (1). 
(b) RETROACTIVE BENEFITS.—No benefits may be 
paid to any person by reason of section 1414 of title 10, 
United States Code, as amended by section 2(a), for any 
period before the effective date specified in subsection (a).
Æ