Senate prepares for GI Bill showdown

[unhappycamper]

Senate prepares for GI Bill showdown
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday May 7, 2008 6:15:28 EDT

A showdown Wednesday in the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee over improvements in GI Bill education benefits could hinge on whether the Veterans Affairs Department softens its opposition to changes that would have benefits differ by state and have schools — not veterans — receive monthly payments directly.

The committee, chaired by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, has 28 veterans’ benefits bills on its agenda, but Senate aides said the measures certain to get most of the attention are two competing GI Bill proposals, S 22 and S 2938.

S 22 is the bipartisan 21st Century GI Bill of Rights, which has 57 Senate cosponsors and is endorsed by all major military and veterans’ associations but is opposed by the Pentagon and VA.

S 2938, with the unwieldy name of The Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention and Readjustment Through Education Act, is a Republican alternative to S 22 that has 18 cosponsors, including one — Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla. — who withdrew his support for S 22 to sign on with the other plan, which is endorsed by the Pentagon and VA.

At Wednesday’s hearing, three major veterans’ groups — the American Legion, AmVets and Paralyzed Veterans of America — are expected to endorse S 22, the benefits bill sponsored by Sen. James Webb, D-Va., over the Republican bill, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/military_gibill_showdown_050608w/



uhc comment: S 2938 is heavily skewed towards folks in the military getting a college education, that's why they call it 'The Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention and Readjustment Through Education Act'.