Trump signs ‘Medal of Honor Act’ that significantly boosts recipients’ pensions
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President Donald Trump has signed the “Medal of Honor Act,” which directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to “increase the special monthly pension rate payable to living Medal of Honor recipients,” the White House said.
According to the White House, the move “ensures that Medal of Honor recipients are properly compensated by increasing their pensions after their military service ends.”
“Medal of Honor recipients truly embody the best of our nation,” Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, who sponsored the legislation, said Monday after Trump’s signing.
The 63 living Medal of Honor recipients receive a special pension of $16,880 a year, but the Medal of Honor Act now increases that pension “to about $67,500 a year, a nearly four-fold increase,” the Republican’s office said.
Purple Heart recipient and veteran attorney Sgt. Michael Verardo rests with honors in Arlington
President Donald Trump presents the Medal of Honor to Sgt. Major Thomas B. Paine of the U.S. Army in the East Room of the White House on September 11, 2020, in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
“They never ask for special recognition or demand special treatment. Many living Medal of Honor recipients spend much of their time traveling our country, telling their stories to inspire the next generation of America’s heroes,” Niles added in a statement.
“My bill, the Medal of Honor Act, eases the financial burden on them by increasing their private pensions — ensuring they know that America is grateful for all they have done to serve our country and defend our freedoms,” he continued.
A retired army captain presents the Medal of Honor to his fellow soldiers in Afghanistan
Then-President Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to Captain Larry L. Taylor from the US Army on September 5, 2023. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“I am extremely grateful to President Trump, our commander in chief, for signing my bill into law,” Niles also said. “The least we can do is lift the financial burden from these dedicated warriors who continue to serve our great nation.”
The first Medal of Honor was awarded to Army Private Jacob Parrott in 1863, according to Niles’ office.
The total number of recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor has reached 3,528 people, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society said.
President Donald Trump presents the Medal of Honor to the United States. Army Master Sergeant. Matthew Williams about his work in Afghanistan in 2008, during a ceremony held in the East Room of the White House in Washington on October 30, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
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“These individuals are heroes,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in a video posted on Instagram on Monday. “These Medal of Honor recipients are exceptional.” “We see you. We remember you. We are grateful to you.”