Student Aid And Fiscal Responsibility Act Of 2009
Floor Speech
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Mr. REYES. Madam Chair, the men and women who have made enormous sacrifices to serve our country deserve every opportunity to get a good education, and my amendment will help them do just that.
My amendment will encourage community colleges to use the funding provided through the new grant program to increase the level of training for our veterans and for our members of the National Guard and Reserves. This amendment will help community colleges do outreach to our veterans and to our National Guardsmen and Reservists who may be looking to obtain new skills and training in these difficult economic times.
This funding is also now intended to help our veterans realize the benefits of the post-9/11 GI Bill that Congress passed last year. The post-9/11 GI Bill was created by landmark legislation that makes good on America's promise to take care of those who have proudly served our Nation. It offers unprecedented benefits that will make college affordable to our Nation's veterans.
However, the legislation will not meet its full potential if eligible veterans are not aware or if they do not take advantage of the opportunities available in their communities. This amendment will help to promote a more veteran-friendly environment at our Nation's community colleges by encouraging this generation of American heroes to use the benefits that they have so rightly earned.
Community colleges provide the first postsecondary experience for many students, and are critical in providing them with the education and training that is required for the high-demand jobs that are needed to keep the United States competitive.
I am pleased that my colleague, Representative Adler, has a similar amendment that will assist veterans who are seeking to attend 4-year colleges or universities. Making sure that veterans want to pursue an advanced degree and that they are able to do so is the right thing to do for our local economies and for our competitive future. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
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I yield to my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller).
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