The “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007” (S.22) is designed to provide veterans with a level of educational benefits identical to those provided to service members at the end of World War II.
The new benefits package included in Webb’s legislation (S.22) would include coverage of tuition, room and board, and a monthly stipend of $1,000. Existing law – known as the Montgomery GI Bill – provides financial support of up to $800 per month for veterans’ educational expenses, but does not necessarily cover the full cost of higher education or career training. In addition, existing law requires participating service members to pay $1,200 in their first year of service in order to qualify for the benefit.
“The Montgomery GI Bill served this nation well during peacetime, but times have unfortunately changed,” Webb said. “The demands placed on soldiers and sailors in this post 9/11 era are much greater than when Congress established the current program. With many of our military members serving two or three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is past time to enact a new veterans’ education program modeled on the World War II era GI bill.
“This is exactly what our legislation does. It will provide veterans of the 9/11 era with the same program of benefits that our fathers and grandfathers received after World War II.”
Webb said Senate Democratic leaders assigned a low number to his bill, (S.22), signifying that it will be a priority for consideration early in the new Congress. Democratic leaders are also including enhanced educational assistance in a national defense bill that will be one of their ten priority bills.
“I am very pleased that we have succeeded already in putting this issue on the table and making it a priority for our men and women in uniform,” said Webb.
Webb stressed that the GI Bill of the World War II era is universally credited with sparking economic growth and expansion for a whole generation of Americans, and he predicted that his proposal holds similar promise for today’s modern economy.
“Our nation has never erred when it made sustained new investments in higher education and job training,” he said. “The bill I have introduced today is not only the right thing to do for our men and women in uniform, but it is also strong tonic for an economy plagued by growing disparities in wealth, stagnant wages, and the outsourcing of American jobs.”
Senator Webb’s bill is likely to be referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. Webb serves on the Veterans Affairs Committee, as well as the Joint Economic, Armed Services, and Foreign Relations Committees.
