SUN EDITORIAL:

Update the GI Bill

A bill in Congress would end financial hardship for recent veterans attending college

Monday, April 7, 2008 | 2:05 a.m.

Momentum is gathering in Congress for a bill updating the educational benefit for veterans.

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., a Marine veteran of Vietnam who served as Navy secretary under President Reagan, first introduced new GI Bill legislation early in 2007.

The bill went through some changes — including the addition of a benefit that will make private schools an option for some veterans — to gain more bipartisan support.

It was reintroduced Feb. 28, with 37 senators and 96 House members expressing support. Now, 51 senators and 111 House members are onboard.

We hope support keeps growing. Today’s educational benefit for veterans doesn’t come close to meeting even the cost of college instruction, never mind the cost of housing and books.

The new bill is called the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act and is supported by such prominent veterans in the Senate as John Warner, R-Va.; Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.; and Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. The bill also has the support of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Benefits under the new bill would fully cover tuition and fees at all public universities and colleges in a veteran’s home state. An allowance would also be provided for housing and books. Also, any reduction in tuition cost offered by a private school to a veteran would be federally matched dollar for dollar.

One prominent supporter is Jerome Kohlberg, a founding partner of the Wall Street firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. A World War II veteran, he remains grateful for the assistance he received under the GI Bill of 1944. He and other veterans of his generation are sponsoring the Fund for Veterans’ Education, which offers private scholarships to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. But he candidly admits the fund is no substitute for an updated GI Bill.

In a Jan. 25 Wall Street Journal column, Kohlberg wrote, “We must now renew that commitment (the original GI Bill) to a new generation of men and women who have served our country with extraordinary courage and distinction.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Discussion: 2 comments so far…

By Johnathan_Abbinett

4/7/08 at 4:33 p.m.

Suggest removal

Only 51 Senators and 111 House members on board? What the hell is wrong with the other 49 Senators and 324 Congress critters? Oh, yeah, the "say" they support our troops - but, this decision is about money and another chance to play politics with our patriots!

This should be a "no brainer" and it would be nice if it passed the House unanimously with 435 votes, was expedited to the Senate and passed, again, unanimously with 100 votes - then, let's see Bush veto that!

Next to the Social Security Act, the original G.I. Bill Educational Benefits did more than any other legislation to give millions of American citizens - who had served honorably and actually "walked-the-talk" to move from the poor class into the middle-class and into the upper middle-class. A few were even able to move up higher in our social strata!

Since then, the American people have asked more and more of each generation of veterans and given less and less in return for their honorable service - to include continuing to fail to fully fund the V.A. - and this tragedy must come to an end.
By RebelRouser

4/8/08 at 3:45 p.m.

Suggest removal

I find it sad that so many of our Congressmen can wave the flag so vigorously about supporting our troops by not questioning the war, and yet they can stand by and leave those same troops swinging in the wind after they've returned from their duty.
I'd say its about time to show some true appreciation for what those men and women have done for us.