7/7/2008 8:54:00 AM GI bill helps veterans, families
Rep. Mike Turner Ohio’s Third Congressional District
The United States of America is blessed to have the greatest military in the history of the world. As citizens, we owe those who put on our nation's military uniform a tremendous debt of gratitude.
It is our responsibility to provide them with more than just recognition for their service: we must also make certain that they have the skills they need to accomplish their next mission once they return to civilian life. That is why I was proud to support recently passed legislation that expanded the Montgomery GI bill to provide more funding for veterans to receive a college education.
In recognition of the additional sacrifices made by military families, a provision was included in the bill that, for the first time ever, allows a soldier to transfer their unused educational benefits to their spouse or to their children.
The Montgomery GI bill that was signed into law over 60 years ago is widely recognized as one of America's most successful and important pieces of legislation. In exchange for their military service, veterans were offered access to programs that gave them opportunities for home ownership and to receive a college education.
The program dramatically expanded the middle class and gave rise to a generation of doctors, teachers, and professionals who might otherwise never have worked in these fields.
With the huge impact the GI bill has had on America and the debt that we all owe our nation's veterans in mind, I was proud to support recent legislation that dramatically expanded the scope and scale of the educational benefits available to our veterans. This bill, once it is signed into law by the president, will modernize and expand the Montgomery GI bill by nearly $63 billion.
The legislation was a significant compromise between both political parties and both Houses of Congress and was vastly superior to similar bills that both the House and Senate had previously voted on.
While it is extremely important to deliver additional educational benefits to our veterans, it is also important to avoid overtaxing Americans during this difficult economic time. Unlike previous versions of the legislation, the House-passed version of the GI Bill expands college education benefits without increasing taxes on Americans. I am proud to have supported this expansion of benefits that gives our veterans the recognition and resources they deserve without adding an additional burden to hardworking American families.
Additionally, this legislation makes the GI Bill available to the families of veterans for the first time ever.
The family members of those who serve in the military fill a critical role in providing support for our soldiers and bear a tremendous burden when their loved one is in harm's way.
A transferability benefit allows vets the option of giving their unused educational benefits to their spouse or to their children. When the GI Bill expansion goes into effect, military families will have an opportunity to directly benefit from their relative's service to our country.
As we celebrate the Fourth of July, the needs and concerns of our nation's military and our veterans should be foremost in our minds. During my time in Congress, I have traveled to Iraq three times and Afghanistan twice and have returned each time all the more impressed by the selfless dedication to duty of our troops.
Our country is committed to giving our nation's military veterans a college education in exchange for their service on our behalf.
I am proud to have supported legislation that will directly provide this benefit for military families and look forward to further working on their behalf in the future.
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, represents Ohio's Third Congressional District.
Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Article comment by:
Mike
Our politicians on boths sides made great effort to laud the new GI-Bill's Transferability feature. In doing so, I think they have misled most of us. Transferability will not not be offered to anyone already retired or separated. The feature itself is not new, and in fact the services have been authorized to offer transferability since the Defense Act of 2002, but only the Army has taken advantage, for cost reasons, and offers this in very rare circumstances.
The new GI Bill's transferability feature will only be offered to members on active duty or in drill status on or after Aug. 1, 2009.
Furthermore, the new law gives the Secretary of Defense the authority to elect not to offer transferability. The department was pretty firm right up to the final signing by the President, that they did not want or need a transferability feature - too expensive!
So, a word of caution to all you military parents out there - don't count on this new law really being made available to support the tuition costs of your dependent children.
Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Article comment by:
S. Lawrence
I grew up in east Dayton, in a part of the city that was in the Third Ohio Congressional District. I left the area over 25 years ago, but news from my old home gets my attention, so when I saw this article cited on the Internet, I had to take a look. I'm sorry to see this kind of dishonorable behavior by someone who occupies the Congressional seat once held by Tony Hall and Chuck Whalen. Those two gentlemen may have been too liberal for the district - at least as it exists today - but neither would have ever engaged in such hypocritical mendacity as this (singing the praises for a bill you voted against). Congressman Turner, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Posted: Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Article comment by:
R. Ashworth
Veterans with 100% service- connected disabilities from the Vietnam era have struggle to get their own child through school. With the benefits constantly in a state of flex what is in the NEW GI Bill for these veterans and their children. Don't get me wrong, this new GI bill was the right thing to do regardless of the cost provided, we can achieve some neutrality throughout the system which appears to be extremely liberal and housing professors that have no sense of the reality of daily life. They live in their own little world of theory that, in reality, most of the time is flawed.
Posted: Monday, July 07, 2008
Article comment by:
J. Arnold
I hate to point out that there is this thing called the "Internet." On the "Internet" there is a web site dedicated to Congress. On that very same web site you are shown as voting "Nay" for the legislation you claim to have supported.
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll330.xml
The supplemental war funding bill that Mike did vote for (along with every Republican save 4) wasn't "vastly superior" to the standalone GI Bill he voted against - it was almost exactly the same bill, except with an added provision to allow the transfer of the benefits.
Posted: Monday, July 07, 2008
Article comment by:
abiodun
Rep. Turner: You voted against the bill you now claim to have supported. I took the time to check the congressional records again this morning.
