A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         Contact:  Kathryn Kahler    June 22, 1994                                           (202) 401-3026

STATEMENT BY U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION RICHARD W. RILEY

regarding the 50th anniversary of the signing of the G.I. Bill

Two weeks ago, President Clinton paid tribute to the soldiers who participated in the historic D-Day invasion of Europe. As those brave soldiers were beginning their march through Normandy, on to an Allied victory, President Franklin Roosevelt signed legislation -- the G.I. Bill of Rights -- that guaranteed these soldiers would have opportunities for the future they had just helped preserve. This day, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of that signing, stands as a symbol of enduring commitment to the importance of education in the life and spirit of this Nation and its people.

The G.I. Bill helped forge an economic renewal and reaffirmed the right of every American to receive an education, to invest in their own futures and in the future of America. Eight million veterans took advantage of the law, which assisted them in establishing careers, raising families, and seizing a part of the American dream.

Today, the continuing effects of this important law are evident not only in the opportunities it provided for the men and women who benefitted from it, but also by its impact on our nation and through our continuing national commitment to education and learning.

America owes a great debt to this original investment in education ... from our current system of financial assistance for students in higher education, to President Clinton's National Service program that rewards community service with education grants, to the high standards of our newest and most comprehensive education law -- Goals 2000.

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