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The American Legion Hails Passage of New GI Bill
    WASHINGTON, June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a bipartisan action
hailed today by the leader of the nation's largest veterans organization as
"an historic event," the president today signed legislation that provides
$162 billion to carry out military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan into
2009 and establishes a GI Bill that mirrors its 1944 predecessor, cited by
many as the greatest piece of social legislation ever enacted.

    "This legislation is a tribute to our system of government and those
who labored to bring it to fulfillment," said Marty Conatser, national
commander of The American Legion. "What a tremendous way to say 'Thank you'
to our men and women serving so courageously in uniform. Giving them the
resources they need to accomplish their mission while providing them with a
true GI Bill for the 21st Century in a single piece of legislation is truly
an historic event that will benefit America for years to come.

    "We applaud Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi who worked relentlessly
to develop consensus with the House, Senate, and Executive Branch to bring
this bill to fruition. Thanks in large part to her committed leadership,
this momentous piece of legislation, will resonate as a landmark in
American history."

    The American Legion wrote the first draft of the Servicemen's
Readjustment Act of 1944, the original GI Bill of Rights that changed the
course of American history. A generation of heroes was able to join the
middle class, achieve home ownership, earn higher education and live the
American dream.

    The new bill provides servicemembers who served in the military for at
least three years full tuition at any in-state public university along with
a monthly housing stipend. Benefits can also be used at private schools.

    Besides providing equality among active-duty, National Guard and
Reserve members by adjusting the benefit scale base on cumulative active
service, this bill eliminates the need for each servicemember to pay $1200
to buy into the benefit. Those who have paid into the current GI Bill will
not receive a refund but will receive enhanced benefits. Everyone on active
duty will receive the benefit from this point forward at no cost.

    "Legionnaires are especially grateful to Sen. Jim Webb for authoring
the Post-9-11 Veterans Education Assistance Act that led to today's new GI
Bill," Conatser said. "His commitment and resolve to restore the kind of
comprehensive educational benefits that our warriors deserve, and earned,
never wavered.

    "There were many others in Congress that labored to achieve this
success, and we particularly salute Sens. Harry Reid, John Warner and Chuck
Hagel and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Minority Leader John
Boehner for their leadership."

    The measure includes a provision that allows veterans to transfer
education benefits to their spouses or children. The legislation will
provide more than $62 billion over 10 years in college funding for veterans
of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. It more than doubles the existing benefit
from $40,000 today to $90,000.

    With a membership of 2.7-million wartime veterans, The American Legion
was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security,
veterans affairs, Americanism, and patriotic youth programs. Legionnaires
work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts
across the nation.

    Media contacts: Joe March, (317) 630-1253, Cell - (317) 748-1926; or
John Raughter (317) 630- 1350, Cell - (317) 441-8847. This text and a
high-resolution photo of Cmdr. Conatser can be downloaded at
http://www.legion.org.
SOURCE American Legion
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