A Boost for Veterans

Senator Hillary Clinton and Representative Patrick Murphy are trying to do the right thing for our veterans. Along with Senator Jim Webb, who led the movement, they are trying to make education more accessible. Though it hasn't been on the front page HB 2385 would increase the Mongomery G.I. Bill to match the benefit in real dollars that previous generations of veterans received. The value of the G.I. Bill hasn't risen in recent years at even close to the same pace that tuition, fees and living expenses have risen, leaving veterans in a position of having to go into debt to finance education even though they have done the military service required to earn G.I. Bill.

Instituted during WWII, the G.I. Bill was responsible for funding the educations of three Supreme Court Justices, three presidents, twenty-four Pulitzer prize winners, fourteen Nobel Prize winners, and millions of other professionals who have served our society for generations. The G.I. Bill has been credited with making the American dream possible for more Americans than any other program ever.

Sadly, the current G.I. Bill doesn't quite measure up. It will no longer cover costs for veterans to attend state institutions, let alone private colleges. With a new generation of war veterans returning faced with the difficulty of re-entering society, a better benefit is going to be crucial. Veterans represent an enormous percentage of the homeless, mentally ill, and physically disabled in our society and we owe it to them to give them as much help as possible integrating back into daily life. Hopefully congress will act soon and make the way forward easier for our men and women who have served bravely.

HB 2385 would do the following:

It would cover the equivalent of eight full time semesters of college tuition, as well as room, board, fees and books. It would be available for technical school or trade school as well, opening up more options for veterans.

Institute a veterans micro-loan program of up to 100,000 dollars, which would enable them to take small loans and start businesses.

Increase housing loans from a current maximum of 417,000 dollars, a figure that is outdated in some parts of the country, to 625,000 dollars.

These benefits would make it easier for veterans to make their way back into productive lives after the rigors of military life. Currently HR2385 is stuck in committee.