President Bush today signed the $162 billion war funding legislation that includes the $63 billion New G.I. Bill.
According to ABC News, “The GI Bill measure, authored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., had such extraordinary support from both Democrats and Republicans that White House objections were easily overridden.”
The New G.I. Bill, which will be officially known as the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008, will increase the education benefits of service members, give a monthly living stipend, a yearly expense for books, and offer the benefits to be transferable to spouses and children of service members.
According to the Army Times, “…the lawmaker getting and appearing to deserve the greatest praise for the GI Bill initiative was Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., a freshman senator and Vietnam veteran who said he was just trying to give combat veterans the benefits they deserve.”
“Eighteen months ago, we began with the simple concept that those who have been serving since 9/11 should have the same opportunity for a first-class educational future as those who served during World War II,” Webb said before Thursday’s vote. “Today, we have accomplished that goal. I would like to emphasize that this is not simply an expansion of veterans’ educational benefits. This is a new program, a deserved program.”
Bush praised Webb and John Warner, but he also praised other Republican Senators, including John McCain, who had fiercely opposed the original Webb Bill. McCain, wasn’t even present for the final Senate vote on the G.I. Bill.
Some of the information herein was obtained from the web site, Podcast Patriot,a site that contains some of the most up-to-date, comprehensive and accurate information on the New G.I. Bill, and other military and veterans issues.
Its editor and author, Joshua Hudson, “completed a noteworthy twenty-year career as a military photojournalist, public affairs specialist and videographer. His work promoting positive military awareness and supporting military and veterans issues has had a significant impact on the community.”
Thank you, Joshua.
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.