H.R.1979 / 112th Congress

To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include additional chapter 61 disability retirees, to coordinate eligibility for combat-related special compensation and concurrent receipt, to eliminate the reduction of SBP survivor annuities by dependency and indemnity compensation, and to enhance the ability of members of the reserve components who serve on active duty or perform active service to receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1979 through Congress

H.R.1979 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

HouseMay 25, 2011IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No Senate action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related Senate measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the Senate stage of H.R.1979.

Related Senate bill: S.260 A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 25, 2011

Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability (under current law, only a disability rated at 50% or more). Repeals provisions phasing in the full concurrent receipt of such pay through December 31, 2013.

Makes eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability.

Repeals certain provisions which require the offset of amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation from Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities for the surviving spouses of former military personnel who are entitled to military retired pay or who would be entitled to retired pay except for being under 60 years of age.

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Prohibits requiring repayment of certain amounts previously paid to SBP recipients in the form of a retired pay refund.

Repeals the optional authority of (and instead requires) the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay an annuity to a member's dependent children when there is no eligible surviving spouse.

Directs the Secretary concerned to restore annuity eligibility to a surviving spouse who earlier agreed to transfer such eligibility to a surviving child or children of a member.

Removes the requirement that days of active duty or active service used to reduce the minimum age at which a member of the reserves may retire for non-regular (reserve) service must occur in the same fiscal year.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Andrews, Robert E. [D-NJ-1] · D–NJ

Committees

Armed Services Committee
Veterans' Affairs Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Rep. Filner, Bob [D-CA-51]

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jun 24, 2011
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Jun 3, 2011
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
May 25, 2011
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
May 25, 2011
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
May 25, 2011
Introduced in House
May 25, 2011
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · May 25, 2011 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Jun 6, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.1979 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss H.R.1979, 112th Congress: To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include additional chapter 61 disability retirees, to coordinate eligibility for combat-related special compensation and concurrent receipt, to eliminate the reduction of SBP survivor annuities by dependency and indemnity compensation, and to enhance the ability of members of the reserve components who serve on active duty or perform active service to receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/1979

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-05-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr1979/BILLS-112hr1979ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-06-06T14:21:10Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.1979 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.1979 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1979, 112th Congress: To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include additional chapter 61 disability retirees, to coordinate eligibility for combat-related special compensation and concurrent receipt, to eliminate the reduction of SBP survivor annuities by dependency and indemnity compensation, and to enhance the ability of members of the reserve components who serve on active duty or perform active service to receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/1979

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-05-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr1979/BILLS-112hr1979ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-06-06T14:21:10Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1979 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.1979 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1979, 112th Congress: To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include additional chapter 61 disability retirees, to coordinate eligibility for combat-related special compensation and concurrent receipt, to eliminate the reduction of SBP survivor annuities by dependency and indemnity compensation, and to enhance the ability of members of the reserve components who serve on active duty or perform active service to receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/1979

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-05-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr1979/BILLS-112hr1979ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-06-06T14:21:10Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1979 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.1979 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1979, 112th Congress: To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include additional chapter 61 disability retirees, to coordinate eligibility for combat-related special compensation and concurrent receipt, to eliminate the reduction of SBP survivor annuities by dependency and indemnity compensation, and to enhance the ability of members of the reserve components who serve on active duty or perform active service to receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/1979

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-05-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr1979/BILLS-112hr1979ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-06-06T14:21:10Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1979 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.