House passes Major Richard Star Act, a bill that aims to help medically retired veterans

The House on Thursday passed a bill that will allow combat-wounded veterans who are medically retired to receive retirement pay and disability compensation at the same time without suffering penalties for tapping into both benefits. 

The Major Richard Star Act was brought to the floor after Democrats got 218 signatures on a discharge petition to force a vote on the bill. 

Under current federal policy, veterans who have medically retired as a result of injuries suffered in combat cannot receive the full amounts of both military retirement pay and disability compensation due to mandatory offsets. Veteran advocacy groups have called it the "wounded veteran tax," and the Major Richard Star Act would eliminate the rule, The Hill reported. 

The bill passed by a vote of 392-18, and it now heads to the Senate. The bipartisan measure was sponsored by Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla.