Matheson Salutes 60th Anniversary of GI Bill

Matheson Salutes 60th Anniversary of GI Bill
Calls for Updates to Meet Veterans' Needs

June 22, 2004, Washington DC-Congressman Jim Matheson Tuesday saluted the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery G.I. Bill, which paved the way toward the American Dream for millions of American soldiers. Matheson also called on Congress to make changes in order to keep the dream alive for today's men and women in uniform.

"The G.I. Bill was our promise to a generation of American veterans that the country would repay its debt to them for their service," said Matheson. "Today's soldiers deserve the same level of commitment. As we salute the opportunities offered by the G.I. Bill, we should also make sure it meets the needs of today's fighting force."

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"I learned from members of Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, Marine Corps Reserves, that even though they served 24 months on active duty, they were ineligible for the GI benefits. The reason was-while they served the required 24 months on active duty-their service was not consecutive. That didn't seem fair, given the sacrifices many of them had made to do their duty," said Matheson.