Local vets asking for change in G.I. Bill
By Charles McMahon
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Foster's Daily Democrat
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View story in the original context
PUBLISHED: May 02, 2008
The gathering was an effort to mirror a similar rally that took place in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, as well as urge Sens. John Sununu and Judd Gregg to support the 21st Century G.I. Bill, sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb.
"We are here today to urge Senator John Sununu and Judd Gregg to support the 21st Century G.I. Bill sponsored by Senator Jim Webb. The bill would expand educational benefits for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan," said Josh Denton, an Iraq War veteran and the New Hampshire State Team Captain of VoteVets.org.
During the short news conference, Denton explained the G.I. Bill and its potential advantageous effect on today's veterans. Sen. Webb, D-Va., and Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska, have cosponsored the bipartisan "Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act." The revised G.I. Bill is similar to the original World War II G.I. Bill in that it will pay the full amount of the highest state college tuition in the veteran's home state and also offers a cost-of-living stipend.
Active Duty, National Guard and Army reserve veterans also would be eligible for these benefits, explained Denton.
"It has gained the strong bipartisan support of 57 senators and 240 members in the House. In fact, every senator from New England, including Republican Senators Olympia Snow and Susan Collins in Maine, are cosponsors of the bill," said Denton.
The group also called on Sens. Gregg and Sununu to flat out reject a substitute bill initiated by Sen. John McCain and support the 21st Century G.I. Bill.
McCain recently proposed the alternative to the 21st Century G.I. Bill, which is called "The Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention, and Readjustment through Education Act" and is a partisan bill that currently has only four cosponsors.
The McCain bill would create a flat education benefit that would not cover the cost of most state schools and would not be available to members of the National Guard or Reserves, said Denton.
McCain's bill could split the Senate, undermine the common-sense legislation that Sens. Webb and Hagel are offering, and in doing so, undermines America's veterans, he added.
Portsmouth resident and Korean conflict veteran Elias Abelson was on hand to voice his opinion and even spoke at the gathering.
"The Current Montgomery G.I. Bill was created for peacetime, and it simply doesn't live up to our nation's commitment to veterans," said Abelson. "After I served in the Korean conflict, I used the Korean G.I. Bill to pay for law school. Updating the G.I. Bill for today's needs not only keeps our promise to veterans, it's good for our country."
Paid for VoteVets Political Action Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. VoteVets Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization which primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on behalf veterans and their families. VoteVets Political Action Committee is a federal political committee which primarily helps elect Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran candidates and educates about veterans and military issues aimed at influencing the outcome of the next election.