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A New Generation of Veterans
By Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
March 7, 2008

As a new generation of American veterans returns home following military service in Iraq and Afghanistan, a grateful nation welcomes them back with open arms. In South Dakota and across the nation, these heroes will face a number of challenges associated with their transition and readjustment back into civilian life, including needs relating to health care, housing, education and employment. As a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Chairwoman of its subcommittee for Economic Opportunity, I am fortunate to be in a strong position to shape important public policy for veterans of past and present conflicts.

My work on the subcommittee is informed by and improved because of the input I receive from South Dakota veterans and their families. Over the President’s Day district work period, I held a roundtable discussion with veterans in Sisseton. More recently, I hosted a similar discussion in Sioux Falls to discuss important changes to benefits that impact Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans, with a special focus on veterans living in rural parts of the country.

The first week of March was also a busy one for veterans issues in Washington D.C., as a number of veterans’ organizations from across the country – including groups from South Dakota –visited the nation’s capitol for their annual week of legislative advocacy. Throughout the course of the week, there were many opportunities for me to share those issues and concerns I discussed with South Dakota’s veterans at the roundtables in Sisseton and Sioux Falls and across the state.

At the Joint Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearings this week, groups such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans introduced their 2008 legislative agendas to Congress. During these joint sessions, I had the chance to speak with Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, a veteran of the Marine Corps, former Secretary of the Navy under President Reagan and member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, about working together to update the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB).

As the Chairwoman of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I am leading the effort to improve the MGIB in the House and plan to work with Senator Webb, who is leading the effort in the Senate, to develop legislation that will ensure servicemembers receive the educational benefits that the deserve, and that reflect the new realities that have transformed our nation’s military commitments since September 11, 2001.

The MGIB should be restructured under the principle that benefits should match the length and type of duty performed. We will continue to examine proposals to increase the monthly rate to cover the average cost of a four-year public college, extend the post-service usage period, and enable servicemembers to transfer their benefits to family members. I look forward to making progress on these important issues, with continued input from South Dakota veterans.

Another recurring theme has been the inadequacy of funding for veterans initiatives in the President’s proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget. Although I was proud to support the single largest increase in funding for the VA in its history last year, the President's request has again left us with an uphill battle in securing adequate funding for programs supporting those brave Americans who have served and sacrificed for their country.

While the President has proposed increased spending on VA health care, it still falls about $2.5 billion below the amount recommended by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. In addition, the President’s proposal again recommends increases to copayments and an enrollment fee. I simply don’t believe that the President should ask veterans to make up for the VA’s funding shortfall. I don’t see how, when we are asking so much of these men and women and their families, we can shortchange them when they return from service.

I continue to take very seriously our obligation to veterans. Congress must provide the VA with the resources necessary to care not only for aging veterans of previous conflicts, but also an unprecedented number of servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with a diverse range of needs created under the unique circumstances of their conflicts. When the time came, our veterans were willing to serve, no matter the cost, and I believe that we must provide for their needs in a manner befitting their sacrifice.