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U.S.
Senator Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees |
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For Immediate
Release Monday, May 19, 2008 |
CONTACT: Stephanie Valencia – 202-494- 8790 |
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Salazar: 'The Benefits We Offer Our Veterans Should Reflect the Magnitude
of Their Sacrifice' WASHINGTON, DC – This week, the United States Senate will take up the 2008 Supplemental Appropriations Act, which contains an important provision that will ensure that a new generation of veterans receives the educational benefits they have earned through their service to our country. The 21st Century G.I. Bill would restore the principle of the first wartime G.I. Bill and help the over 1.6 million service members who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan over the last seven years to receive an educational benefit that will cover the full cost of a four-year public education after their valiant service to our nation. Providing such an educational benefit would keep the doors of opportunity open for new veterans, ease the transition back to civilian life and help with recruitment efforts. United States Senator Ken Salazar made the following statement on the floor of the United States Senate today in support of the provision. To see the video clip of Senator Salazar’s floor statement, click here. “Mr. President, I rise today to voice my strong support for S.22, the 21st Century G.I. Bill, and to thank my colleagues: Senator Webb, Senator Hagel, Senator Lautenberg, Senator Warner, and the bipartisan group of 58 Senators who stand behind this new G.I. Bill. “This bill, which I am pleased is included in the 2008 Supplemental Appropriations Act, will help a new generation of veterans receive the educational benefits they have earned through their service in wartime. The 1.6 million soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan over the last seven years – often with multiple deployments that last up to 15 months – have given more than their country could have expected. It is right and proper that their country honor them with benefits commensurate with their service and sacrifice. “The G.I. Bill that the Congress passed after World War II proved to be one of the greatest ideas that this country has ever had. That G.I. Bill was based on a simple and powerful premise: if you served your country in wartime, your country would pay for your education. “For the 7.8 million World War II veterans who took advantage of the G.I. Bill, this great idea opened the doors of opportunity in civilian life. It eased the difficult transition from wartime service to peacetime employment, and equipped the Greatest Generation with the education and skills to lead our country into an era of prosperity and growth. “Over the last half century, the educational benefits that we offer our veterans have evolved from the wartime service benefits of the World War II G.I. Bill to a more limited set of educational benefits of the Montgomery G.I. Bill. Designed primarily for peacetime, the Montgomery G.I. Bill helps defray the cost of tuition, but it does not cover the full cost of an education. “Today, almost seven years into the war in Afghanistan, and more than five years into the war in Iraq, the educational benefits we offer our veterans should reflect the magnitude of the sacrifices they are making on our behalf. “The 21st Century G.I. Bill does this by restoring the principle of the first wartime G.I. Bill. Under S. 22, service members who have answered the call of duty since September 11 will receive an educational benefit that will cover the full cost of a four-year public education. The benefit will be available to not just active duty components, but also to members of the National Guard and Reserves, proportional to their amount of active duty service since September 11, 2001. “Some critics of this bill say it is just too expensive. To them, I say that providing our service members a comprehensive educational benefit is a cost of war. Since 2003, we have spent over $525 billion in Iraq. This year, we’ll spend nearly $150 billion in Iraq – over $12 billion every month. Compare that to 21st Century G.I. Bill: it will cost between $2.5 and $4 billion a year. Think of that, Mr. President: the cost of this new G.I. Bill is about the same as the cost of 10 days of war in Iraq. “Just as we have a duty to provide our men and women in uniform the equipment they need to do their jobs, so too, we have the duty to provide them the educational benefits that will assist their transition back to civilian life. This should not even be a debate. “In addition to all the opportunities this bill will create for America’s newest veterans, the 21st Century G.I. Bill is a smart investment for both our military and our economy. The educational benefits under S.22 would help us rebuild our military. Over the last several years, the Army has consistently been missing its recruiting goals. As a result, the Army has relaxed its enlistment policies, lowered its standards for signing up new soldiers, and implemented a stop-loss policy that keeps soldiers in beyond their contract obligations. This formula is symptomatic of a military under strain. It is a formula that will, over time, erode the quality of our forces. “The benefits under the 21st Century G.I. Bill will reverse this trend by attracting a new generation of high-quality recruits who come to the service of their country for the promise of an education in return. S.22 is a powerful recruitment tool. “It is also a smart economic investment. Each month, it seems, we read a new report describing how America is falling behind in education and losing its global competitiveness. With tuition costs rising, more and more young Americans are finding college out of reach. Veterans who, in another era, would have been able to use their Montgomery G.I. Bill to pay for college, now find that their benefits have not kept pace with tuition growth. After years of service to their country and multiple deployments, college remains out of reach. “By making college accessible again to those who have answered the call since September 11, we will be making one of the smartest investments we can possibly make. By giving veterans a clear path from the military to the classroom, we will be equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to lead our world. We will be helping them fulfill their destiny as the Greatest Generation of their time – leaders in their communities, leaders in business, and leaders for the 21st century. “I am proud of all my colleagues who are behind this bill. Senator Webb, who has led this charge since the beginning. Senator Hagel, whose principled voice serves our soldiers so well. Senator Warner, whose wisdom and leadership on the Armed Services Committee has been so valuable over the years. And Senator Lautenberg and Senator Akaka, who both attended college under the G.I. Bill from World War II. Thanks to each of them for their leadership. “I am proud that the 21st Century G.I. Bill is included in the FY08 Supplemental. I am proud that we have resisted efforts to weaken this bill. And I am proud that we have the opportunity to honor the service of our veterans with a G.I. Bill that better reflects their sacrifice.” Currently, veterans’ educational benefits are administered under the Montgomery G.I. Bill. This program was designed for peacetime – not wartime – service and needs to be updated due to the extreme increase in the cost of education over the last two decades and to better honor their service in wartime. Key provisions of the 21st Century G.I. Bill:
This legislation has been endorsed by leading veterans’ and higher education organizations. In addition, the bill has nearly 60 cosponsors in the Senate and almost 300 cosponsors in the House of Representatives as well as the support of 23 governors. ###
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