WASHINGTON
The Senate overwhelmingly agreed to a historic new college aid program for veterans last night, capping an 18-month battle to give troops in the war on terror GI Bill benefits comparable to those provided to Americans who fought in World War II.
The 92-6 vote came on legislation that also provides $165 billion to support continued U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and a new round of aid to rebuild Mississippi River levees ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.
The Bush administration requested the war funds more than a year ago, and it had warned that without action soon the Pentagon would have to institute layoffs and shut down some areas in order to divert money to supporting troops in the field.
The vote sends the bill to President Bush, who has pledged to sign it. Passage came hours after Democratic Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia and other GI bill backers, along with a corps of volunteer lobbyists, hailed the program as an overdue signal of the country's appreciation for sacrifices made by troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"This is a new program, a deserved program. Take advantage of it and show us what you can do," Webb urged veterans.
Veterans will not feel the bill's full effect until next year. In the meantime, the Department of Veterans Affairs must overhaul its computer systems to recalculate the aid due each former service member.
As soon as the bill is signed, participants in the current Montgomery GI Bill program will receive a $200-per-month increase in their monthly college aid payment, to about $1,300 for those who served on active duty.
Many will get more aid once the VA fully implements the legislation. The bill guarantees program participants a monthly cost-of-living allowance for their time in college, plus tuition aid equal to the highest in-state tuition in the veteran's state of residence.
Veterans who opt for private colleges, where tuitions typically are higher than at state-supported schools, will qualify for additional aid if the schools agree to match it.
Patrick Campbell, legislative director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, one of dozens of veterans groups that worked on the legislation, said he's been in touch with some private colleges to urge their participation. He said he's gotten no commitments, but administrators at several schools have indicated their desire to boost aid to veterans.
Although the Montgomery GI Bill is restricted to veterans who enrolled when they enlisted and paid $100 per month into the program during their first year of service, the new bill's benefits will be available to everyone serving in the military since Sept. 11, 2001.
The new benefit is expected to cost taxpayers about $51 billion over 10 years, a price the Bush administration initially suggested was exorbitant. The $5 billion average annual cost is equal to about one and one-half months of the cost of the current U.S. military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, noted Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., one of the bill's high-profile backers.
Bush, who had supported an alternative plan introduced by GOP lawmakers including Sen. John McCain, the party's presumptive presidential nominee, agreed to sign the Webb bill earlier this month. Backers of the legislation accepted a White House demand that the bill allow long-serving vets to transfer some or all of their college aid to their spouses and children.
The transferability provisions are intended to encourage troops to make a career of the military. Even with them, Pentagon officials have warned that the new college aid may encourage troops to leave the military when their enlistments expire.
Webb, who has made the GI bill the central focus of his first 18 months in office, said he expects the enhanced benefits will be rolled back once American troops are no longer involved in combat.
But Campbell said veterans groups expect the new aid will be permanent. Webb's legislation does not carry an expiration date.
Webb's dogged pursuit of the bill's passage earned bipartisan praise Thursday, with his Virginia colleague, Republican John Warner, likening it to the "heroism" Webb displayed as a young Marine lieutenant during the Vietnam War. Webb was awarded the Navy Cross, the service's second-highest honor, in that conflict.
Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com
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Great bill, fixes VEAP and MGIB.
This was the only shot at fixing VEAP and MGIB inequities while improving recruiting. (For _NON_-MGIB retirees with enough post-9/11 time, you can enroll in the new bill next year. Check it out, Google is your friend.)
Here's a list of orgs supporting the bill. (for those saying it would be bad for retention, note the enlisted organizations in particular!)
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
The American Legion
The Military Officers' Association of America (MOAA)
Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA)
AMVETS
The Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA)
The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS)
I fully support Mr. Webb!
I am more conservative than liberal, but I am not a Republican. I fully support Mr. Webb, even though I disagree with him on some issues. He is all for the Military and all for the protection of the Second Amendment! To me, that makes up for a lot of the little stuff.
Another loss for right wingnuts
And the losses will keep on mounting with a grand finale in November.
Thank you Sen. Webb. The current administration treats vets like cannon fodder. It's nice to see that change.
Change. What a nice word.
Seriously?
Thinking member of Congress-Drake? Ms. "voted 99% with Bush" Drake- I'll vote no because Bush will veto?
when i came back from vietnam in 1969
and returned to UVa, the monthly GI Bill check was something like $120 per month. No way that came anywhere close to covering tuition, books, room and board.
Well...
"You Webb supporters/libs celebrate; but, for what?"
The troops and veterans seem pretty happy about it. All but waht? 6 people voted against it? Bi-partisan legislation to support those who defend us is liberal?
I am glad I am not one of those stinking liberals you guys talk about. They sound pretty nasty. In fact, a Prius cut me off this morning.
marks57720
"If Obama is your answer to solve our problems, then you must be living in "la la" land."
If you still think Bush walks on water and has been a wonderful president then I question who lives in "la la" land. I'm no Obama supporter and I agree the Democrats did shoot themselves in the foot by not having Hillary as the nominee, but I will never vote for McSame. Obama will be the next president, I hate the thoughts of it, and it may be the first presidential election I don't vote or will use the write in.
Just the beginning
Jim Webb is just getting started. Within a few years in the Senate, he's going to be honed razor-sharp for a run for higher office. I'm just darned thankful that he has committed his energy to the Democratic Party... the party of Inclusion.
Unfair
Although I agree with supporting those in uniform furthering their education with assistance from the governement, what about those that have already served? I served 25 years, as a veteran of Desert Storm and IOF, retiring in 2006. I retired from active duty without a penny to further my education becuase in 1981 I didn't opt for the Vietnam Era GI Bill so wasn't entitled to the MGIB.
I think it so unfair that I can serve 25 years of honorable service and can't afford to go to school but someone can serve for four years today and recieve all the pay and benefits afforded by the U.S. Government. It's just not fair!!!!!
To Maynard Krebs
If Obama is your answer to solve our problems, then you must be living in "la la" land. The Democrats shot themselves in the foot by having Obama as their nominee. Heck, there were many Republicans in this state that voted for Obama in the primaries to ensure that Hillary wouldn't get the nomination...fooled again! Caine is the only answer...albeit a somewhat liberal Republican.
92-6
"Thinking members of Congress oppose it"... all 6 of them?
If you remember, "U.S. Rep. Thelma Drake defended her vote against expanded college benefits for veterans on Monday, saying she would not support legislation that President Bush has promised to veto."
The "thinking" Congresswoman didn't say she opposed it because it contained pork or any other reasoned logical argument; the parrot did so because she thought that's what her boss would like her to say. Now that he's agreed to sign it she'll gladly flop and congratulate him on a job well done.
bush's legion of fools
If aid for veterans and Americans left homeless because of the floods was the "pork" attached to bush's blood money, I have no problem with it.
I applaud the Democrats for forcing bush to help Americans if he wanted to continue his bloody mistake in Iraq.
And I find it amazing that anyone would say , "HA, HA we we got our war money and all you guys got was aid for veterans and Americans in need."
Such colossal arrogance and ignorance is almost beyond understanding, but given the author, not surprising.
Military Veterans have earned it!
Now, if only we could also get help. My husband who is a retired US Navy MCPO, with a valid Military ID card and I moved to Switzerland in 2006. Military retirees living in Germany are required to obtain a Pink card from the German Customs Office before they can shop at a US Commissary or PX in Germany. The Pink card assures that the retiree is paying the German Tax, (currently about 19%)on anything purchased at the US base. We would gladly pay the German tax, but there is a residency restriction. The retiree MUST live in Germany to obtain the Pink card! We don't expect special treatment, just equal treatment! Giving us the Pink card does not cost the tax payer one cent! We only want to purchase American items not available in Switzerland, (BBQ Sauce, Mac.& Cheese, Skippy Peanut butter, etc.) Why this unfair treatment of a US citizen/US military retiree? Senator Webb's office tried to help, but an old and outdated agreement between the US and Germany (NATO-SOFA) stands in the way.
The "pork" was bush's war
Baby bush withheld aid for American veterans and Americans caught in a disaster until he got the $165 billion he needed to continue his war in Iraq. The G.I. Bill was appended to baby bush’s war chest.
rcamp clearly didn’t know that because he’s just another blue collar dupe being manipulated by conservative elites.
It isn't bad enough that baby bush sent the military into Iraq without a plan; that he sent the military in without the proper equipment; that thousands of Americans have been killed or maimed in a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. He had to use veterans one more time to ensure that Iraq would become Obama's problem after the November elections.
mini bush and his idiot disciples can chant anti-democrat slogans until the cows come home. The country is waking up and there will be a reckoning in November. They have completely misunderstood the change we are talking about.
Why So Wonderful?
You Webb supporters/libs celebrate; but, for what? You could get a tag-a-long bill on the bill supporting our troops in harms-way passed saying anything. Until Congress stops adding pork and BS riders onto valid bills or they give the President (Republican or Democrat) line item veto authority, these things are a sham and nothing spectacular accomplished by the sponsor.
It's so easy
It's so easy for people like rcamp to toss out comments they can't support. Sonewhere along the way they got brainwashed into a certain way of thinking without doing the research themselves. We can't just blame rcamp because millions of others are just like it. They react without knowing what they are talking about. Sadly, one of the biggest mistakes in every society.
Too bad...
Unfortunately we can't have Webb as the presidential candidate instead...since Obama can never win Webb will go down with him.
Ladies and Gentlemen the Vice President of the United States....
.........Jim Webb.
some of you guys are so full of crap
with your anti-democrat ranting. Sheeple. Bahhhh!
Rcamp can't show you the pork
in Webb's bill, because it does not exist. Webb's bill is an amendment to a bill. If he actually did the research, he would realize that himself.
You're kidding
The "fat" and "pork" that Thelma Drake and other "thinking" republicans opposed was aid for Americans?
I guess it's a good thing I voted for Webb, I'll vote for Obama and I'll pray that every "thinking" republican that didn't get thrown out of office last November gets thrown out this November.
It depends on what you call "pork"
Bush wanted a guarantee that his colossal blunder in Iraq would be funded through 2009. In exchange for $165 billion and the right to slink out of office and leave the Iraq mess in someone else’s hands, Bush gave the Democrats what they wanted: a new GI bill, extended assistance (13 whole weeks) for Americans who have lost their jobs thanks to the Bush-induced recession and $2 billion for Americans in the Midwest whose homes have been destroyed by the flooding.
What upsets you more? That we gave aid to veterans and Americans or that we paid a $165 billion ransom to the Bush administration?
Pork
Pork ladden bill. Oh yeah we tossed in some money Vets will never see.
gee
I figured you already knew and would be only to happy to tell us.
Vets Bill
Do some research and you'll find out.
RE: Vet's Bill
"This bill, while certainly it is good for veterans who deserve liberal education benefits, is also full of other unrelated spending"
Would you can to explain?
Vets Bill
This story is so one-sided and biased that it's beyond believable. This bill, while certainly it is good for veterans who deserve liberal education benefits, is also full of other unrelated spending. That's why Rep. Thelma Drake and other thinking members of Congress opposed it.
Webb has bragging rights for helping vets, but he also has explaining to do to those consituents who like me think government spending is out of control.
This is great news for the military families and recruiters
And i support it.
But I wonder where all of the ANTI democrats are on this spending measure though? I mean after all it is fat.