G.I. Bill 2008

A new GI Bill is now making its way through the US House of Representatives, which would restore full education benefits to active military personnel. The original GI Bill, signed into law in 1944, was designed to help soldiers reintegrate into civilian life after WWII.

Called the “Servicemen’s Readjustment Act,” the World War II GI Bill covered tuition, fees, and books, and gave veterans a living stipend while they were in school. Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, Senators Bob Dole and Patrick Moynihan, and authors Norman Mailer and Frank McCourt all relied on the GI Bill.

Experts have argued that the GI Bill “reinvented America” after a half-decade of war. Indeed, a 1988 Congressional study showed that every dollar spent on educational benefits under the original GI Bill added seven dollars to the national economy in terms of productivity, consumer spending, and tax revenue. But in his signing statement, President Roosevelt spoke more simply:

“[The GI Bill] gives emphatic notice to the men and women in our armed forces that the American people do not intend to let them down.”

General Wesley Clarke posted an OpEd in the LA Times regarding the bill last week.

If you're interested in supporting the bill, the website provides ways to contact your local Congressional representative.