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So that new GI Bill that was set to be voted on last week? Yeah, it got yanked off the House table after a contingent of conservative(ish) Democrats known as the "Blue Dogs" opposed the measure.
They barked over the lack of a funding plan -- even though the bill is part of a supplemental funding package for the wars these veterans have fought in, and Congress keeps passing those packages without a funding plan. In response to such public disunity, House Speaker and Dem Nancy Pelosi announced in a press conference, "I'm sure we'll be able to work something out."
We hope the folks in DC worked on the issue over the weekend, because Pelosi said that she still plans on having the supplemental funding package -- GI Bill included -- on the President's desk before Memorial Day Weekend.
A few people posted thoughtful responses to our last entry on the bill:
· Leon: “It's clear that the government is too broke to afford to pay for the troops’ education but [is] still selling the fact that they will do so to prospective soldiers. I feel for those who sign up to fight for “freedom” and to help themselves get an education but are being robbed from the start.”
· Joshua Hudson: “Giving a good college benefit would attract better recruits…Educated veterans [add] to the reputation of the military as a viable option for a career. It is good for America, the military and those who serve…We need a motivated, educated young crew of veterans out there to be an inspiration to our future soldiers.”
So many members of our generation have fought in Iraq, and continue to fight. What are your thoughts on how we should welcome them home? Why has it taken this long for the GI Bill to be revised? And what benefits do you think would best serve our troops when they return home?
