Carney: This is a New Gi Bill for the 21st Century

Press Release

CARNEY: THIS IS A NEW GI BILL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Bipartisan Landmark Legislation Provides Necessary Funding for Troops

Congressman Carney voted for our troops by supporting the bipartisan Supplemental Appropriations bill. The legislation includes funding for troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and a landmark expansion of the GI Bill of Rights.

"I pledged to always support our troops and military families," said Congressman Carney. "This legislation is a new GI Bill for the 21st century. Congress owes our veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan the opportunity to attend college and get the education they need after they selflessly serve our nation."

Carney was one of four Members of Congress to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 2702, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007. This bill and its Senate counterpart were incorporated into the supplemental bill to create the new GI Bill.

More than 9,400 active duty and reserve troops from Pennsylvania have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense. Current GI benefits pay only about 70 percent of a public college education and 30 percent of a private college education for active duty veterans when they return home. The expanded GI Bill will restore full, four-year college scholarships to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to help make them part of an economic recovery. It will also provide them money for books, housing and tutorial assistance.

"We owe this to our troops. As someone who still wears the uniform, I am concerned about the welfare of our soldiers overseas as well as our military families here at home. This legislation goes one step farther to support our military families as well by allowing veterans to transfer their education benefits to family members," said Congressman Carney.

Congressman Carney has made standing up for veterans and military families a top priority while in Congress. "One of my first actions as a Member of Congress was fighting for education benefits for our National Guard and Reservists. Because of our work, tens of thousands of Guardsmen and Reservists now have the opportunity to receive a college education," said Carney.

The legislation approved by the House also includes $161.8 billion that will support the cost of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through the summer of 2009.

Source