Iraq Veterans and Members of Congress Demand Action on New GI Bill

More than 100 Iraq Veterans Converge on Capitol Hill Steps Tomorrow at Noon

NEW YORK - This Tuesday, more than 100 veterans from across the country will join members of Congress to rally for a 21st Century GI Bill. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, will participate in the Capitol Hill event.

The veterans and lawmakers will call for immediate legislative action on the "Post-9/11 Veterans Educations Assistance Act" (S.22/H.R. 5740). This critical legislation was introduced in Congress by some of the Senate's own combat veterans including Jim Webb (D-VA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), John Warner (R-VA) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). It has gained the strong bipartisan support of more than 57 cosponsors in the Senate and 234 cosponsors in the House and the endorsements of the nations' leading veterans' organizations.

"This event highlights the widespread and deep personal commitment to improving the GI Bill that's shared among so many lawmakers and veterans. Every major player is on board and supporting our efforts. The bipartisan support for this critical legislation illustrates that taking care of our nation's veterans is not a partisan issue," said Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "We've seen a tremendous amount of momentum for the 21st Century GI Bill, but there's still work ahead. It's vital that Congress act this year to pass a GI Bill that will actually make education affordable for veterans."

Who:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), lead Senate cosponsor
Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), lead Senate cosponsor
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), lead Senate cosponsor
Sen. John Warner (R-VA), lead Senate cosponsor
Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman
Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ), lead House cosponsor
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), lead House cosponsor
Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), lead House cosponsor
Rep. Peter King (R-NY), lead House cosponsor
Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), House Veterans Affairs' Committee Chairman (Tentative)

Matthew Boulay, Director of The Campaign for a New GI Bill
Dr. Clifford Stanley, retired USMC Major General & CEO, Scholarship America
Pete McCloskey, former U.S. Rep. and Korean War veteran
Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Derek Blumke, president, Student Veterans of America
Bob Balaban, Master of Ceremonies, actor & director
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
American Legion
Vietnam Veterans of America
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
AMVETS
National Association for Uniformed Services
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
Jewish War Veterans of the USA
U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University

When:

Tuesday, April 29, 2008, 12:00PM

Where:

U.S. Capitol, West Front
(In front of the fountain, facing the Washington Monument)
Rain Location: Rayburn Room, H-207 U.S. Capitol Building

Source: IAVA

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