Dear Friend,

Sixty-four years ago this week, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the GI Bill into law. The idea behind the bill was simple: provide our brave men and women returning from the battlefields of World War II with the chance to go to college and pursue the American Dream. Since its passage, millions of veterans have benefited from the educational opportunities provided in the original bill, but the law needs to be updated to address the needs and concerns of today’s veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

So last week, I was proud to support the New GI Bill for the 21st Century as part of an emergency spending bill for our troops. The new bill will cover 100 percent of the tuition costs of a four-year education up to the level of the most expensive in-state public school. Currently, benefits only cover about 70 percent of the cost of a public college education or 30 percent of a private college education. In addition, returning veterans would be eligible for a stipend to cover housing, books and other related expenses.

I have always said that as long as our troops are in harm’s way, we have an obligation to provide them with the funding they need. But our obligations to them don’t diminish when they become veterans. We also have a responsibility to help those veterans who want to transition into civilian life by providing them with educational and training opportunities. I believe this bill does just that.

I had serious concerns about a previous proposal considered by the House that would have paid for the program with an income tax hike on some Americans. I was glad to see this provision removed from the final bill; however, we owe it to future generations to find a way to pay for this program. I believe we can provide these benefits in a fiscally responsible way without raising taxes on individuals, and Congress needs to work toward that goal.

Sincerely,

Brad Ellsworth