WASHINGTON
Despite promises of a presidential veto, the House of Representatives backed a historic increase Thursday in college aid for military veterans and delivered a major political victory to Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia.
The GI Bill championed by Webb, a freshman Democrat, passed 256-166. It would pay college tuition plus a cost-of-living allowance to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The majority included 32 Republicans, bolstering Webb's claim that, despite opposition from the Bush administration, the bill has bipartisan support. The vote total was far short of the two-thirds of House members needed to override a veto, however.
The vote "places veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars one step closer to realizing the first-class future that they are due," Webb said in a statement released by his office.
The benefit is designed to match the GI Bill provided to World War II veterans. It would be capped at the level of the most expensive public college in the veteran's home state. Additional aid would be available to veterans attending more expensive private colleges if those colleges agreed to match the assistance with tuition grants and reductions.
Veterans under the current GI Bill generally get up to $1,100 a month to pay their college expenses, an amount that often is less than half of their costs.
The GI Bill vote came as the House narrowly - and surprisingly - rejected Bush administration calls for a $163 billion appropriation to continue military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
An unlikely combination of pro-war Republicans and anti-war Democrats defeated the war funding, with 132 GOP lawmakers abstaining to protest the way the majority Democrats brought it to a vote. The defections left the bill with 141 supporters and 149 opponents.
The war appropriation is almost certain to be revived in the Senate next week, however.
While voting down the war funding, the House agreed, 227-196, to set December 2009 as the target date for completion of a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. That measure also would set new "dwell time" requirements for American forces, designed to lengthen the time troops spend at their home bases between deployments overseas, and write into law Army guidelines for questioning suspected terrorists.
President Bush has promised to veto any Iraq funding bill that sets a withdrawal deadline or limits the administration's flexibility in setting deployment schedules. And in a policy statement delivered to lawmakers Thursday, the administration said the interrogation limits would deprive the intelligence community of information needed to block future terrorist attacks.
The administration also has opposed Webb's GI Bill. The policy statement delivered Thursday reiterated warnings that the plan would have the unwanted side effect of encouraging needed troops to leave the military. The administration prefers a less generous alternative that would increase benefits for those who agree to repeated re-enlistments.
Bush and some House Republicans also objected Thursday to the House's plan to cover the estimated 10-year, $51 billion cost for Webb's GI Bill with a surtax to be imposed on those earning more than $500,000 annually.
"If the bill presented to the president contains a tax increase," the White House said in a statement, "he will veto it."
The Webb proposal is expected to get a Senate vote next week as part of another measure providing appropriations to cover the cost of U.S. operations in Iraq. The proposal has 58 co-sponsors in the Senate.
Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com
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American funding
Do I think that America should pay for their vets to go to college for 4 years YES. The American public owes it to those who have served this country in it's defense for the chance to make a better life for themself. The men and women who defend this great nation cannot be repaid for some of the things they have had to endure, which is a very unfourtunate truth. Every bill that goes through capital hill has some kind of "fluff" in it, so we should just be happy that this one has something positive for those who have served.
Please
Read the bill. It's got more pork in it than support for the veterans!
BTW, I too am a 60% disabled vet, I KNOW what it's like so don't jump me either
Take a good look at congress & you reps.
It's very easy to see what's going on in Congress by simply logging onto congress,org. From there you can sign up to recieve emails on how your elected reps actually vote and what bills are coming up. I promise you will be amazed at what goes on there. We are the people and we need to be armed with all information we can get, besides the news media.
Yor missing the point
Most of the posts are missing the point. I too am a disabled Veteran and well understand the Hell of dealing with the VA system. I also understand the idea that we should cover ALL veterans, but I think Jim Webb is tring to do what he can with this do nothing President and his do nothing supporters. we waste BILLIONS every year on Pet projects for the rich senators. Jim Webb is trying to look out for the Veteran. He good as gold in my eyes.
OMG
And who is going to fund this? I am a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and yes I would love to go to college, but not at the expense of every person in the U.S.A.
Lores
Please read my Washington Post quoting George Allen and his macaca comment below. Allen knew exactly what he was saying.
I'm with Lores
George Allen should better focus his use of racial epithets for those occasions when he really really really knowingly, purposefully, and maliciously wants to castigate and belittle a dark-skinned political rally attendee (who's holding a video camera).
The Truth...
The promised veto isn't about Pres Bush denying the troops. It isn't about the idea that a democrat introduced the bill. Bush told congress not to exceed the $108B cap on earmarks (pork) attached to the bill. Congress surpassed that cap. Yes, OUR congress is point blank to blame if this bill fails. Even though it has overwhelming support from both parties, if President Bush veto's it, it will then come back to congress and you will find that the congressional vote will change dramatically and the bill will be completely killed. This is typical politics. Find a favorite bill, attach all your pork to it, then cry that the President doesn't care about the troops and their families when he kicks it back. The slanted media is nothing but a tool in these games. Both parties are guilty of these tactics and we, as Americans, should pick up a pen or log onto a computer, and write a letter to congress telling them to stop.
I doubt he knowingly,
I doubt he knowingly, purpusely and with malice used that term.
I wonder why the press hasnt gone wild over Obama's remark about he's visited 57 sates and had one more to go, he thinks. Good thing it wasnt Dan Quale.
Assume [sic]
Gotta go with BigMike
BigMike's reasoning is sound. Nobody in this country would ever set a roadblock for our vets to obtain a college education. But what the Pilot is leaving out is all the "fat". This bill is loaded with earmarks and other pork spending for other parts of the country. Not enough room here but research it for yourself. Strip out the unnecessary spending and the bill would be more crediable.
RE: Allen didn't understand the word
To sit there and say that George Allen didn't know what macaca meant when he spoke that word is truly amazing. Here's the quote read it for yourself.
"This fellow here, over here with the yellow shirt, macaca, or whatever his name is. He's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere. And it's just great," Allen said, as his supporters began to laugh. After saying that Webb was raising money in California with a "bunch of Hollywood movie moguls," Allen said, "Let's give a welcome to macaca, here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia." Allen then began talking about the "war on terror."
Allen's Mother is from Africa and in some European countries the word is a racial slur. Allen claims he made the word up and didn't know what it meant. A bigger lie by George Allen has never been told.
perhaps i should clarify my earlier compliment...
my complaint isn't with the money being used to care for our troops(i am a vet myself, and this bill effects MY benefits), i was merely commenting as to where the money COULD come from. they complain about the $51M it would cost to make this boost of GI Bill benefits, yet overlook the amount of money being spent in Iraq and Afghanistan. i agree with the reasons for going over there, and i fully support everyone who has been there, is there, and will go there, i just feel that its time has passed. we accomplished what we intended to. the Iraqis are dragging their feet as far as running their own show because its just easier to let us do it. its time for us to take the training wheels off over there and let them run their own country, so that we can get back to taking care of ours.......
Government enablers
Most of you leaving commenst are excately what's wrong with this country, you expect the governement to take care of you. Don't get me wrong, I served for 25 years and recently left the military without any money for college, but we throw thousands at those that serve today. I see no problem with the goverment supporting those in uniform but I care at what cost. Where do you really think the money is going to come from? For those of you that can balance a checkbook you're probably correct, higher taxes,in essence, your pocketbook. Jim Webb was a loser as Sec of Navy (got fired), and he's aloser as a typical Senator. Anyone that goes on NPR is just using that network to get liberal support. In truth, he could careless about those in uniform. This is just a way to get a check in the block and out expense.
I'm with Lores
George Allen should be more familiar with the racial epithets he uses.
With the stoploss policy in place courtesy of GeeDub...
... and endorsed by McSame, can soldiers even leave the service to take advantage of the education benefits? Check for a McCain rider that stipulates that the benefits do not take affect until after our next 5 years in Iraq, as envisioned by John (down from 100 years). Thats when John expects to mission accomplishcize the democracy spreading that junior started.
OUR VETS DESERVE BETTER
Befor this war our Vets were being forgotten the budgets for them slowly getting smaller..No one thought for a minute what we were sending our youn men and women into.. now it is shocking..with better life saving techniques and devices are men are surviving with disibilities very bad ones this cost no one is really thinking about...were focussing on the GI Bill when we should be focussing on VA benefits and survivor benefits both are really out dated have to be some psychological problems will be very hard to deal with..even live with..its allready starting to come to light OUR SERVICE MEMBERS DESERVE BETTER If more of our Congressmen and women and our senitors had their sons and doughters serving and returning home..not whole..maybe more people would take notice and old benifits would be improved and approved
Oh, and the Dems are...
all middle class or below? Please, all politicians are wealthy. Heck, Hillary loaned her campaign 5 Million. Wish I had money to loan myself 5 Million. Doesn't matter what party it is, they are all rich, and look after their money before ours.
$500,000+ group
The reason Bush will veto is because the money is going to come from his rich cronies. God forbid!! if the wealthy should have to pay for anything.
My point is that Allen didnt
My point is that Allen didnt truly understand the meaning of the word. Do you?
The GI Bill championed by Webb...
Kind of like Al Gore and the internet, isn't it? J. Webb "Mr. Don't Let Females in the USNA or Combat", what a loser!