New bill to aid veterans’ education

A new GI Bill that will increase educational benefits to veterans is pending right now after passing both houses of Congress. \nThe new bill was proposed by Sens. Jim Webb and John Warner of Virginia, Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, and Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey. It was designed to mimic the first GI Bill, which was enacted after World War II and signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It provided service men and women the opportunity to resume education or training with the necessary financial aid and support. \nIn 1984, the original GI Bill was rewritten by former Mississippi Rep. Gillespie V. Montgomery, giving rise to the current GI Bill.\n“The 20-year-old Montgomery GI Bill was good, peacetime legislation, but it is no longer good enough to attract new recruits who know they are signing up to go to war,” said George Lisicki, a Vietnam veteran and the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, in a press release.\nThe new legislation, titled the “Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act,” will provide educational benefits to all who have served at least one day of active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, and repeal the $1,200 enrollment fee required to qualify for the benefits of the current GI Bill. Educational benefits will include total cost of tuition at any public school along with fees, books and a monthly stipend, according to the Web site for the new GI Bill. \nThe estimated cost-benefit value, or the national average each person would save in the year of 2009, from the Post 9/11 Bill is $18,815, which is nearly twice the average 2009 benefit value of $9,900 under the current Montgomery Bill. \n“A new GI Bill for the 21st century must be passed,” said Lisicki. “The Montgomery GI Bill only accounts for 50 percent of the average cost of tuition today, and the benefits for Guard and Reservists are drastically less.” \nIn addition to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, organizations that endorse the new GI Bill include the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans. \n“(The new bill) is definitely a big improvement for our veterans than the bill we have currently,” said Mike Pate, chairman of the board of trustees for the American Legion in Bloomington. “I haven’t seen anything I don’t like about it.” \nThe GI Bill had overwhelming support from more than two-thirds of the Senate with 75 in support, and 22 opposed in the House of Representatives. 256 were in support and 166 opposed.\nAmong the Indiana politicians who voted against the bill are Republican Sen. Richard Lugar; Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd; Rep. Mike Pence, R-6th; and Rep. Dan Burton, R-5th. \nCongressman Baron Hill, who represents Indiana’s 9th congressional district, which includes Bloomington, voted in favor of the bill May 15.