Sen. Webb: McCain Refuses To Co-Sponsor GI Bill For Post-9/11 Veterans»

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/20/mccain-ignores-gi-bill/

Webb: McCain Refuses To Co-Sponsor GI Bill For Post-9/11 Veterans»


On his first day in office in January 2007, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) introduced the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007, intended to be “a mirror image of the WW II G.I. Bill.” A new version with broad bipartisan support was introduced in February to help fund education for service members who had served in active duty since Sept. 11, 2001. Veterans would receive education benefits equaling the highest tuition rate of the most expensive in-state public college or university and a monthly stipend for housing.

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America hailed Webb’s bill, calling educational benefits “the military’s single most effective recruitment tool” and emphasizing that “an expanded GI Bill will play a crucial role in ensuring that our military remains the strongest and most advanced in the world.”

Today, The Hill reports that Webb is still waiting for an important co-sponsor who could help push other Republicans to approve the bill: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ):

“McCain needs to get on the bill,” Webb told reporters after a Christian Science Monitor breakfast meeting on Wednesday. He said legislation mirroring the post-World War II GI bill should not be considered a “political issue.” <…>

Webb’s bill has 51 co-sponsors, including nine Republicans. Webb, a former secretary of the Navy, said he may have to get 60 co-sponsors to ensure Senate passage, but then added that many more Republicans could vote for the bill if McCain endorsed it.

McCain prides himself on being “a tireless advocate of our military.” Yet this is hardly the first time that Webb has taken McCain to task when it comes to veterans’ advocacy. In September, McCain refused to support Webb’s bill to ensure service members get adequate time at home between deployments. McCain castigated the effort, declaring he “hoped” Congress would reject the bill because it “would create chaos.”

McCain boasts on his website that he “fought to extend the availability of G.I. bill education benefits for Vietnam veterans.” Yet he has been notably silent on extending those same benefits to today’s veterans. Perhaps, like the Pentagon, he is resisting the bill “out of fear that too many will use it.”

McCain has repeatedly voted to funnel billions of dollars to fund the war in Iraq, whose costs along with the war in Afghanistan, according to some experts, have already totaled more than $3 trillion. By contrast, the cost of the new G.I. bill is projected to be about $2.5 billion a year — roughly the cost of U.S. operations in Iraq for one week.

[madrchsod]

1. webb just said on big ed`s show

that he was trying to get john to sign on,meaning he is still waiting for john`s response. should be interesting if he does`t

[Hugabear]

2. McCain doesn't give a flying fuck about veterans or the military

For someone who has built their entire political career around his military service - especially his POW status - he sure doesn't seem to give a rat's ass about anyone else in the military. If he did, he wouldn't be such a goddamned warmonger, and Sen. Webb wouldn't even have to ask McCain - McCain would have already volunteered to co-sign this bill.

[babylonsister]

4. You're right; I imagine he has to now weigh what's politically

expedient for him before signing anything. When he decided torture was A-OK I knew right where his soul was.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Warner and Hagel cosponsor it, but I guess they don't have much influence in the GOP,

seeing that they're sane and decent, and both are retiring. It's good to pressure McCain on this.

[Fridays Child]

5. According to...

...this, only three out of 31 co-sponsors are Republican. I wish KO would pick up this story.

[havocmom]

6. Get some emails going to KO show

Get this out there so it becomes common 'water cooler chat' across America

Keep this thread kicked ;)

[babylonsister]

7. I just sent the link to KO-thanks for the idea. nt

[Fridays Child]

12. I guess the ThinkProgress article has the most up-to-date co-sponsor count but...

...even now, out of 51, only nine are from the party that loudly and regularly proclaims its members' supposedly superior patriotism, as measured by, among other things, their support for the troops. In the meanwhile, eighty-four percent of the bill's co-sponsors are Democrats.

[TwilightGardener]

8. Well, four--John Warner recently signed on as cosponsor. Still a sad

showing by Repubs for the military, though. The Bushie argument is that it will weaken retention by allowing GI's to have a meaningful way to finance their educations. That's a sick argument. My Senator, Hagel, said in a floor speech that it would HELP recruitment, and that investing in our troops' education is ALWAYS a good investment for this country's future and that it's a win-win, but that's falling on deaf ears in the GOP.

[Lasher]

10. But that was introduced in January last year.

Are you sure that's the right one? I thought it had to be re-introduced this year for it to be considered active legislation.

[autorank]

9. K*R McCain better watch out. Webb tore into him during his campaign

I can't find the press site from his Senate campaign, but it's a classic.

Whenever he was attack ced, he'd fire back immediately and with total force.

McCain mouthed off about him trying to support Allen. The Webb response was
devastating.

If McCain won't get on board, watch Webb do a number on him. Veteran's issues
are paramount for Webb and he has a very positive approach. Few would disagree.

So lets hope McCain continues. The Webb response, when he's convinced McCain
is insincere, will be, possibly, the stimulus of the first of many public melt
downs by McCain.

On another note, McCain has his own SwiftBoat problem, except the critics are
not from the Democratic party or it's money people (way too bold). They're t
the POW/MIA folks who just can't stand McCain. The core group are fellow POWs.
There have been key issues like releasing the records of those never returned
(McCain opposed that) and continuing an electronic monitoring program (where
those trapped can send a signal that they're still alive) where McCain has
come down opposite this POW group (opposed records release, favored discon-
tinuig electronic monitoring despite signals that there are MIA alive).

These people are relentless. He's in for some real trouble there as things
go along, maybe a slow news month like August.

Thanks for this and all your excellent information sister. K*R

[alfredo]

11. Thank you. passed it on to my Veteran's group.

[DCKit]

13. More Republic lip-service with no substance.

Hey, what else is new with the potty of "compassionate conservatism"?

The Republican voter's disconnect from reality is beyond disturbing - they're continually presented with a platter of shit, but call it delicious when told it was prepared by "family values" chefs.

[crimsonblue]

14. How could anyone in Congress vote against this?

Besides the fact that doing so is political poison. How could anyone supporting this war oppose providing post-service opportunities to America's Finest? McCain is a paper War-hero.. All talk and no action. He of all people should know the importance of supporting our troops, but yet he doesn't? WTF? Does he think that he will lose votes because of this? The GI bill even gives money to private colleges, in the form of tuition assistance for those schools that provide discounted or free education to veterans. I'd think that would get the extremist right wing christian college faction salivating...