Walz and local vets on new G.I. Bill

We're off in a bit to attend the wedding of sergeants: one in the Minnesota Army National Guard and another in the regular Army. Between the two of them, they have three tours in Iraq.  We think about people like Jen and David, and other young friends serving our country when we write about the need to bring veteran programs into the 21st century.

Two articles in today's Post-Bulletin look at the new GI Bill.  In Veterans say GI Bill needs to be updated, we read:

When Mike McLaughlin enlisted for Iraq, he was set on defending his country. He was believed that his entire college expenses would be paid for.

McLaughlin, 23, of Mankato, is now studying at Minnesota State University-Mankato. His wife works two jobs and is looking for a third. Books for class cost $600. He's currently seeking summer employment that can offer 60 hours each week, in order to save money during the school year.

The GI Bill isn't the free ride he expected.

McLaughlin was in Rochester on Thursday with U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, a Democrat from Mankato, who was calling for support of a new bill that would update the benefits of the GI Bill. The new bill would increase the amount of educational benefits offered to veterans. It would also include more reservists and guard members who have recently served in the armed forces. . . .

And there's a companion article,  Walz calls for support of new GI Bill:

Walz, along with representatives from the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, spoke to members of the press on the Rochester Community and Technical College campus.

Walz said the original GI Bill has been labeled as having one of the most positive economic impacts as "anything we've ever done."

"This possesses that ability, too," he said.

The bill is part of the supplemental spending bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Walz said he hopes it will be sitting on the president's desk in early June.

The original GI Bill was passed in 1944.

In Vets concerns get increased focus, at MyWebTimes, the PB's Ed Felker reports:

With Memorial Day on the horizon, lawmakers rushed this week to pass veterans health and education benefits legislation, including a $54 billion expansion of the storied GI Bill.

The GI bill represents a major milestone in the updating of the eduction benefits given to veterans, lawmakers said. It initially was to be financed by a tax increase on those who earn $500,000 or more, but the tax was dropped to avoid a presidential veto.

House lawmakers also passed a package of 10 veterans benefits bills this week, mostly by voice vote, with five of them touching on veterans health issues. Those health bills would, among other purposes, elevate physician assistant services within the VA, expand VA substance abuse programs, build and expand Veterans Administration facilities and provide VA care to children of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida. . . .

. . .Rep. Tim Walz, a Minnesota Democrat and National Guard veteran who sits on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said the piecemeal approach has come about as lawmakers look for legislation that will not get stuck in partisan debates or run into opposition from the White House. This week he introduced a bill to advance VA research into understanding and treating long-term pain issues.

"It's not a case of drip, drip, drip good news on veterans, because I've got no time for that," he said. "Every day we wait somebody is missing out on this, somebody who deserves to have these benefits."