Cold War Veterans Blog

Breaking News from the Senate

Dear IAVA Supporter,

GI Bill Momentum S.22 and H.R.2702

Great news from the Capitol about the GI Bill. After the 12,234 letters you sent to Congress, the 76 meetings IAVA Member Veterans held on Capitol Hill and dozens of letters-to-the-editors printed in newspapers nationwide, an updated version of the bill, which now includes equal benefits for those who served in the Reserves and National Guard, was introduced on the Senate floor yesterday afternoon.

Just two weeks ago, we joined a bi-partisan press conference with Senators Jim Webb (D-VA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), calling for a new GI Bill. Yesterday, they spoke to the US Senate about the need to provide educational benefits to our newest generation of veterans. And this time they were joined by the new lead co-sponsor, Senator John Warner (R-VA) - a World War II and Korean War veteran and a beneficiary of the original GI bill.

Senator Hagel said, "This [bill] is reinvesting in our society. It is assuring that those who have given so much to our country have an opportunity to develop skill sets in education to compete in the most competitive world history has ever known, to go beyond expectations, go beyond what is possible. This is not just a payback or reward."

To keep this momentum going, we're going to need your help in the next few weeks. To ensure the bill is passed, we'll need to build the list of co-sponsors by getting the word out state by state. Check here to see if your representatives in Congress have signed on to support the GI Bill.

We'll keep you updated on the progress of this important legislation. It wouldn't have gotten this far, this fast, without your strong support.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Paul Rieckhoff
Iraq Veteran
Executive Director
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America