In 1944, Congress enacted the original GI Bill of Rights to honor the Greatest Generation that ultimately won World War II.  In doing so, the federal government supported our returning troops with educational benefits, loans to buy a home, and medical assistance.  In fact, the nearly eight million veterans who went to school under the GI Bill helped to jumpstart our economy and create a strong middle class. 

Today, in recognition of the more than one million men and women in uniform who have served thus far in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, it is time for a New GI Bill of Rights.  These troops have served our nation with distinction, and it is time for a grateful nation to honor that service. 

Legislation introduced recently would modernize and enhance the GI Bill by providing better education, health care and job training benefits for those who have answered our nation's call to duty.  The proposed package would also support their families here at home.
 
For our troops, the package would pay the full cost of college or job training, instead of only 65 percent for those serving four years of active duty.  The measure would also provide a $1,000 bonus to the nearly one million who have served in imminent danger in Operation Iraqi Freedom and in Afghanistan, and would improve military pay for senior enlisted personnel and warrant officers.  Bonuses would also be enhanced for the National Guard and the Reserves.  These provisions are important to help our returning soldiers become a productive part of a prosperous economy, and they also provide an important recruiting tool to encourage new soldiers to sign up.

The new GI Bill of Rights legislation also includes provisions to ensure that our military has the necessary number of troops and to make sure they have adequate equipment. 

The package would improve veterans' health care, including mental health care, to meet the needs of our returning troops.  These brave men and women should be able to rely on the promises of the nation for which they fought.  That means providing quality, comprehensive and accessible health care for all of our veterans.  The measure calls for an additional $3.2 billion for veterans' health care and would block any proposed increases in prescription drug co-payments and enrollment fees.  Mental health services would also be improved by focusing on early intervention to prevent the development of chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that may require a lifetime of care.

The measure also recognizes the great sacrifice of our National Guardsmen and Reservists -- who have comprised nearly half of our troop strength in Iraq -- by expanding military health care to cover all Guard and Reserve personnel.  The legislation would also make sure these citizen soldiers do not suffer a pay cut while deployed.

Finally, for military retirees and the families of those who died in the line of duty, the New GI Bill of Rights would fully repeal the Disabled Veterans Tax, and end the Military Families Tax.  These unfair taxes penalize our disabled military retirees and the widows of those killed as a result of combat and are unworthy of our great nation. 

No group of Americans has stood stronger and braver for our democracy than our troops and veterans. We must celebrate, honor and remember these courageous and faithful men and women through this New GI Bill of Rights.
 
On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind.  As a nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind.  Let us honor their service with a New GI Bill of Rights worthy of our grateful nation.

(Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard's office offers a wide variety of services to the community, including financial aid workshops, a service academy workshop, a scholarship directory, a community health fair and constituent casework services to assist district residents in resolving problems with federal agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration.  More information about federal services can be obtained by visiting Congresswoman Roybal-Allard's web site at www.house.gov/roybal-allard or by calling her district office at (213) 628-9230.)