[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 80 (Wednesday, June 22, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 22, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SERVICEMEN'S READJUSTMENT ACT OF 1944

  Mr. NUNN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of Senate Joint 
Resolution 202, a joint resolution commemorating June 22, 1994, as the 
50th anniversary of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944; that the 
Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; that the joint 
resolution be read a third time, passed; that the preamble be agreed 
to; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that any 
statements appear at the appropriate place in the Record as if read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 202) was deemed read the third 
time and passed.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The joint resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                             S.J. Res. 202

       Whereas on June 22, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
     signed into law the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, 
     commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights of 1944;
       Whereas the GI Bill of Rights of 1944 has provided 
     education and training benefits to over 7,800,000 United 
     States veterans;
       Whereas the GI Bill of Rights of 1944 is credited with 
     contributing to the robust recovery of the United States 
     post-World War II economy;
       Whereas Acts enacted subsequent to the GI Bill of Rights of 
     1944 have provided education and training benefits to 
     12,500,000 United States veterans, making education and 
     training opportunities for those veterans obtainable and 
     affordable;
       Whereas the GI Bill of Rights of 1944, and subsequent Acts, 
     established home loan programs for United States veterans 
     which, since 1944, have guaranteed over 14,000,000 loans, 
     totaling over $400,000,000,000, providing home ownership 
     opportunities to millions of United States veterans and their 
     families;
       Whereas the GI Bill of Rights of 1944, and subsequent Acts, 
     have been recognized by political, business, sociocultural, 
     and educational leaders as landmark pieces of legislation 
     which have collectively contributed to the development of the 
     United States middle class; and
       Whereas Congress has repeatedly expressed its support of 
     the goals of the GI Bill of Rights of 1944 through enactment 
     of subsequent Acts: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That June 22, 
     1994, be commemorated as the 50th anniversary of the 
     Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, and the President is 
     authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling on 
     the people of the United States to observe that day with 
     appropriate ceremonies and activities.
  Mr. WALLOP. Madam President, last week's commemoratives of the 
invasion of Normandy were filled with stories of courage, valor, and 
patriotism. So poignant were the images of aging veterans walking the 
beaches of Normandy, searching the graves of the cemetery at 
Colleville. It is near impossible to capture the emotion in words--the 
despair, the powerful sacrifices, the exhilarating courage in pursuit 
of freedom. But as last week concluded, the uniqueness of the event is 
what, perhaps, will stay with us all.
  Unique in several ways--in scope, in secrecy. Unique as an example of 
military art. As British Military Historian John Keegan points out, 
with the advent of nuclear weapons, an operation like D-day would be 
highly unlikely in today's world. D-day was necessary because the 
West's latent power was not energized and focused in time to deter a 
megalomaniac from attacking all his neighbors or to prevent him from 
conquering a whole continent. No leader today, unless he wills his own 
destruction, could set out on the course that Hitler took.
  Unless, of course, we repeat the folly of our past. World War I 
predecessors assumed that the world had been rendered a more civilized 
place, one which could be ruled by utopian notions of International Law 
and Arms Control. Those men who abandoned our alliances and our 
military power in the name of global order actually set the stage for a 
repeat of the violence they so abhorred.
  But D-day was unique in another, perhaps more profound way. The pride 
Americans felt surrounding the 50th anniversary of D-day was a pride 
taken in a moment in time--when lives were valiantly given in 
passionate quest for liberty. The generation that fought World War II 
embodied values of loyalty and citizenship--unquestioning and 
unyielding. We, their inheritors, felt pride in their selflessness, 
their duty, and honor. These are the qualities that let us prevail on 
the beaches of Normandy; these are the qualities that distinguish the 
men of June 6, 1944--these are the qualities that make the longest day 
so incredible * * *. Prepared to protect our freedom in war, we stood 
together in alliance against totalitarianism. Our victory was the 
vindication of the sacrifice and courage of those who fought and lived 
to fight on, but most especially of those who fought and died believing 
that freedom was more than a dream.
  Lest a future generation of heroes have to lay down their lives, we 
must hold dear the lessons of World War II, and what led to it. We must 
make clear to all that America is prepared to protect her freedom 
through war if we have to, that America is ready and able to meet any 
challenge to its security. This will require more than maintaining 
military strength, though this is certainly essential. We dare not 
fritter away our power in pursuit of ill-defined goals that do not 
relate to American security. Bear in mind the words of Walter Lippman, 
written in the spring of 1943:

       Without the controlling principle that the Nation must 
     maintain its objectives and its power in equilibrium, its 
     purposes within its means and its means equal to its 
     purposes, its commitments related to its resources and its 
     resources adequate to its commitments, it is impossible to 
     think at all about Foreign Affairs.

  Anything less is squandering American power and credibility and 
demeans the honor of those who gave their lives on June 6, 1944.
  Mr. AKAKA. Madam President, 50 years ago today, President Roosevelt 
signed into law the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, more popularly know 
as the GI bill. This legislation has appropriately been called one of 
the most important pieces of social legislation ever enacted.
  To understand the importance of the GI bill, we must look back to 
America as it was in 1944. Millions of victorious veterans returned to 
America eager for work and ready to resume civilian life. Over the next 
12 years, the GI bill sent 7 million men into training programs, 
thereby helping the Nation avoid the depression and unemployment 
typically associated with post-war economies and giving the United 
States its best educated, most competitive labor force up to that time. 
Under the GI bill's auspices, millions more took advantage of home loan 
benefits, further stimulating an economy struggling to revert to a 
peacetime footing.
  Looking back, it is ironic to note that the GI bill was not an 
entirely popular measure when first enacted. Drafted in early 1944 by 
Harry Colmery, a former national commander of the American Legion, and 
pushed through Congress under the leadership of Senator Bennet Champ 
Clark, Senator Ernest McFarland, Representative John Rankin, and 
Representative Edith Nourse Rogers, with support from the Legion's John 
Stelle, the GI bill met with initial opposition from veterans 
organizations and educators. Veterans were concerned about funding for 
other veterans programs, while educators feared it would lower 
standards at universities or encourage moral laxness among veterans. 
Despite these concerns, the GI bill was eventually passed unanimously 
by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
  When President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill on June 22, 
1944, he expressed the Nation's gratitude for the sacrifices of those 
who had placed themselves in harm's way. Nevertheless, there was 
general apprehension concerning the bill's moral and fiscal impact. 
Critics were concerned about the unemployment benefits provided in the 
measure, fearing that too many veterans would choose to go on the dole 
rather than seek jobs. As it turned out, they need not have worried, 
for only 5 percent of all veterans claimed benefits for the full 52 
weeks allowed.
  Instead, veterans focused on using programs for training and housing. 
Veterans were eligible for up to $500 a year to cover educational costs 
and an additional stipend to support themselves while they were in 
school. So many veterans seized this opportunity that, by 1947, fully 
one-half of all college students were also veterans.
  At the same time, many veterans took advantage of the GI bill's home 
loan guaranty benefits. During the war, veterans lacked the same 
opportunity as their civilian counterparts to establish favorable 
credit records. Using the GI bill, however, veterans were able to 
leverage the Federal Government's financial backing to secure privately 
obtained mortgages--without the necessity of making down payments.

  As the only part of the original GI bill that remains in force, the 
Home Loan Guaranty Program has been an unqualified success. Between 
1944 and 1966, 20 percent of the homes built in America were financed 
by the GI bill; as of 1992, the Department of Veterans' Affairs had 
guaranteed over 13.8 million loans totaling more than $392 billion. 
Many improvements to the program have been made over the years, include 
negotiable terms to allow veterans to pay competitive prices for homes 
and extension of eligibility to surviving spouses, military personal on 
active duty, selected reservists, and native Americans living on trust 
lands. In this regard, I was pleased to have played some small part in 
these improvements, having sponsored the Senate legislation to extend 
home loan benefits to the latter two groups.
  Subsequent incarnations of the GI bill have also continued the 
tradition of subsidized education for veterans. For example, the Korean 
conflict GI bill educated nearly 2.4 million veterans, well over half 
of the 5.5 million total eligible veterans. The Vietnam era GI bill 
provided training to nearly as many Americans--1\1/2\ million 
veterans--and, for the first time in history, entitled benefits for 
service personnel on active duty. Most recently, in recognition of the 
reserves' growing importance to the total force, the current Montgomery 
GI bill extends benefits to reservists who have served at least 6 
years.
  Madam President, it is a well-known fact that the GI bill enabled a 
significant portion of our youth to attain levels of success that they 
may never have achieved otherwise. From politicians like former 
President George Bush to entertainers like Paul Newman, the GI bill has 
assisted leaders from all paths of life in attaining their goals. 
Indeed, I am sure you could find dozens of legislators in both Houses 
who are indebted to the foresight of our predecessors in this body half 
a century ago.
  Beginning in 1948, I myself used the GI bill to attend the University 
of Hawaii. Though the war interrupted my senior year of high school, 
the prospects for self-improvement under the GI bill compelled me to 
finish high school and, later to obtain a bachelor's degree. I also 
used the GI bill to purchase my first home, which enabled me to raise a 
family in relative comfort and security. I can honestly say that I 
would not be a sitting U.S. Senator today if not for the opportunities 
first presented to me 46 years ago by the GI bill.
  Madam President, the GI bill has been called the most important 
domestic legislation ever enacted. During the 50 years of its 
existence, the program has provided educational benefits and enhanced 
economic opportunities for millions of Americans, and helped millions 
more achieve the American dream of home ownership. In no small part 
because of the tremendous investment in education and training made 
possible by the GI bill--and investment, I might add, repaid many times 
over in tax receipts--our country has prospered as no other. Today, 
what was once viewed as a simple readjustment measure is now seen as a 
remarkable political achievement that has altered the very fabric of 
society and history.
  But, whatever larger impact that the GI bill has had on our country, 
the GI bill remains at heart a simple measure with a simple goal: To 
help veterans obtain homes and jobs. It is this simplicity, this 
enduring appeal to the basic human need for knowledge and shelter, that 
has made the GI bill such an unparalleled success.
  Thank you, Madam President. On this, the 50th anniversary of the 
signing of the original GI bill, I would like to pay tribute to the 
wise architects of this landmark legislation, as well to the millions 
of men and women who, after serving honorably in uniform, have used the 
GI bill to make the America a better and greater Nation.
  Mr. BURNS. Madam President, Americans recently observed the 50th 
anniversary of an important event--the landing at Normandy by American 
troops.
  I rise today to mark the 50th anniversary of another historic event--
the signing of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, better known 
as the GI bill.
  I spent 2 years at the College of Agriculture at the University of 
Missouri before I enlisted in the Marine Corps.
  After I received my discharge, I went right to work and did not take 
advantage of the GI bill benefits.
  Looking back, I wish I would have finished college. Who knows what I 
could have accomplished if I had.
  In all seriousness, though, the GI bill is an example of the good 
that can be accomplished through a wise investment of taxpayer dollars.
  The GI bill was the wellspring of the rise of the American middle 
class. The many veterans who were able to attend college bettered 
themselves, their prospects, and this country's future through 
education.
  And the veterans who were able to buy their homes have contributed to 
the security of their families while getting their own piece of the 
American dream.
  I think Americans can point with pride to the many successes made 
possible by the benefits provided under this landmark piece of 
legislation.
  A lot of GI's owe the American Legion a debt of thanks for its role 
in drafting the original GI bill and for its hard work in championing 
the cause.
  (At the request of Mr. Mitchell, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)
 Mr. DODD. Madam President, I pay tribute to a remarkable event 
that occurred 50 years ago today. On June 22, 1944, President Franklin 
D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, a bill 
that would prove to be one of the most important bills Congress has 
ever passed.
  This measure, better know as the GI bill of rights, was designed to 
head off the potentially disastrous social and economic consequences of 
a returning flood of World War II veterans. After our victories in 
Europe, America was faced with the certainty of a rapidly down-sizing 
work force that would have to readjust to a peacetime economy. Many 
anticipated a severe depression and widespread unemployment that would 
be dramatically heightened by the return of our troops. In response, 
members of the American Legion drafted the GI bill to provide these 
soldiers with the resources necessary to obtain a college education and 
to purchase a home. Although it was expected to provide a degree of 
assistance, not even President Roosevelt foresaw the real benefits that 
this law would provide.
  Initially, the GI bill of rights had many critics. They argued that 
it was too expensive and that it would seriously undermine the quality 
of the American college education. Even some veterans' groups opposed 
its passage for fear that it would reduce the budgets of other 
veterans' programs. Their fears proved to be ungrounded.
  Until this law's passage, a college education remained a reward for a 
very privileged few. Before World War II, only 10 percent of Americans 
attended college; today, almost 50 percent do. In 1939, approximately 
160,000 Americans graduated from college. By 1950, that number had 
jumped to nearly 500,000. And in 1947, 50 percent of all college 
students were veterans. By providing veterans with financial 
assistance, the GI bill was directly responsible for this remarkable 
transformation. A society that had historically provided higher 
education to the wealthy became a society that rewarded the motivated, 
regardless of background. In doing so, the GI bill transformed our 
Nation's views on education.
  In addition, the home loan guarantees provided by this law affected 
our Nation in unprecedented ways. As the Federal Government guaranteed 
the loans of veterans, millions became homeowners. Between 1945 and 
1966, one of every five homes was financed by the GI bill. This 
assistance boosted the home building industry and dramatically helped 
an economy facing severe troubles.
  The GI bill provided America with a very new and very real middle 
class. While encouraging veterans to stay out of a work force that was 
not prepared to accept them, the educational and financial benefits 
provided by this law laid the groundwork for an economic class that 
revitalized the American economy and strengthened our Nation in 
immeasurable ways.
  To date, the original GI bill and its updated versions have provided 
educational assistance to 20 million veterans and have guaranteed 14 
million home loans. Although there is no solid figure, some estimates 
calculate that for every dollar paid out through these programs, the 
U.S. Treasury receives $2 to $8 back in income taxes. We would all be 
less well off were in not for this law.
  Madam President, today we should all take time to reflect on the 
impact the GI bill has had on America. We would not be such a strong 
Nation today if we had not acted so boldly one-half century 
ago.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Madam President, 50 years ago, in June 1944, American 
troops liberated Rome, invaded Normandy and stormed the island of 
Saipan. For the past few weeks our Nation has remembered their 
accomplishments and praised them for changing the world. Those service 
men and women represent the 16 million Americans who avenged Pearl 
Harbor and defeated Naziism in World War II.
  The tools of their crusade were rifles and bombs, bullets and ships. 
Sixteen million Americans used these instruments of destruction to 
forge a new world in the blast furnace of war. I am proud to join in 
honoring those Americans for their courage in using the tools of war, 
but I also honor them for the world they subsequently created using the 
tools of peace.
  Fifty years ago today, President Roosevelt signed legislation 
creating the GI bill. In so doing, he gave 16 million uniformed 
American men and women the tools to create better lives for themselves 
and a better America for the world.
  The courage of the veterans of World War II in the field of battle is 
well documented. But today I commend those veterans for another virtue. 
Today, I ask America to remember America's servicemembers not only for 
their valor in war, but also for their success with the tools of peace. 
Tools created, not in a arsenal, but in the Congress. Tools wielded, 
not on a battlefield, but on a campus. Tools, not of destruction, but 
of creation. I ask America to thank the men and women who served our 
Nation during time of war for the peacetime world they created using 
the tools of the GI bill.
  An entire generation of Americans became the first in their families 
to obtain a college degree, thanks to the education benefits provided 
by the GI bill.
  An entire generation of Americans became the first in their families 
to own their own homes, thanks to the home loan guaranty benefits 
provided by the GI bill.
  The GI generation of students fueled an unprecedented expansion of 
America's colleges, leading the way to a Nation where every citizen 
could aspire to a higher education. And the GI generation of graduates 
then provided American business with the educated workers needed to 
create an unprecedented prosperity for America.
  The GI generation of homebuyers fueled a building boom that created 
the real estate, homebuilding, and mortgage finance industries that in 
turn give America an unmatched record of homeownership.
  The Congress passed the legislation that created the GI bill, but 
America's thanks must be directed to the 16 million American veterans 
who transformed the programs of the GI bill from the dry language of 
the statute books into living, vibrant tools of peace and prosperity. 
They used education, home finance, and other GI bill benefits as a 
means to transform their lives and themselves. In so doing, they 
transformed our Nation and our world.
  We are in debt to those veterans for their skill with the weapons of 
war as well as the beneficiaries of their proficiency with the tools of 
peace.
  Madam President, there is no better day than today, the 50th 
anniversary of the GI bill, to thank them for what they did in time of 
war and to express our appreciation for the legacy they subsequently 
created in time of peace. A legacy our Nation continues to enjoy today.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Madam President, I rise today on the 50th 
anniversary of the Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944, better known 
as the GI bill of rights. I am pleased to join Senator Thurmond, and 
all of our colleagues on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, in 
sponsoring legislation to commemorate this anniversary.
  President Roosevelt signed the GI bill into law on June 22, 1944, and 
over the past 50 years, millions of veterans have taken advantage of 
the many opportunities it offered, particularly in the areas of 
education and home ownership. Long after the ticker tape settled, a 
grateful nation honored its heroes by helping them regain the 
opportunities they had foregone to serve the causes of freedom and 
democracy.
  Just as the entire Nation has benefited from the service and 
sacrifice of our veterans, the entire Nation has also benefited from 
the GI bill. This landmark legislation has been an enormous force in 
shaping the economic growth of our Nation in the post-World War II era, 
and in the creation of the modern-American middle class.
  Home ownership, for example, is an essential element of the American 
dream. But before World War II, most Americans were renters. The VA 
home loan guaranty program has backed more than 14 million home loans 
totaling more than $442 billion since 1944, including 42,000 loans in 
my own State of West Virginia; and today we are a nation where most 
families own their own homes.
  Through the GI bill, millions of veterans and their families have 
been able to attain this part of the American dream. At the same time, 
they have spurred the tremendous growth of many industries, from 
homebuilding and real estate, to banking and finance.
  Over the past five decades, the GI bill has made possible billions of 
dollars in education and training for millions of veterans. More than 
7.8 million World War II veterans alone used the GI bill to get 
training and further their education. GI bill veterans accounted for 
half of all college enrollees in 1949--a truly incredible statistic. In 
return, the Nation has earned back a better educated, more capable work 
force, contributing greatly to a growing, competitive economy and to 
increased tax revenues.
  Today, education and home loan benefits are a permanent part of the 
veteran's package of benefits. The new GI bill enacted in July 1985, 
crafted by and named after my good friend and colleague, Representative 
Sonny Montgomery, greatly improved education benefits; it is perhaps 
the military's most valuable recruiting tool. This has been 
particularly important as we have converted to an All-Volunteer Force.

  A few weeks ago, in recognition of all those who died during World 
War II and in commemoration of D-day, I had the enormous privilege of 
laying a wreath on the grave of a West Virginia soldier who was killed 
in France in 1944. That soldier was William Creed Brogan, who died at 
the young age of 20, leaving behind a young wife and son. Creed 
Brogan's wife, his son--who was less than a year old when his father 
died--and two fine grandsons the soldier never knew, joined me for the 
ceremony in Beckley, WV.
  Bill Brogan, the son of a soldier who died in service to his country 
50 years ago, is an example of what the GI bill has done for many, many 
veterans across this great country of ours. Bill Brogan dropped out of 
school at the age of 17 and joined the Army. He got his GED while in 
the service, and in 1965, he found himself back home--married and 
unable to find a job. Jobs in southern West Virginia were scarce then, 
just as they are now.
  Bill knew that he had to have a trade--that without it he would never 
be able to make a decent life for himself and his family. So he turned 
to the VA. The VA paid for Bill's education as a welder, and armed with 
the education and that certificate, he has never had a problem finding 
a good job again. Bill and his wife, Shirley, have been able to have a 
wonderful life together, providing a quality of life for their two 
sons, Kenneth and Kevin, that may not have been possible otherwise. 
Bill told me--and I am quoting--``Without the help from the VA, I don't 
know what I would have done.''
  As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am 
dedicated to making sure our veterans receive the benefits that they 
need and deserve. Eternal vigilance is the most solemn responsibility 
of a free society, and freedom is anything but free. We truly owe these 
men and women more than we can ever repay.
  History shows that the opportunities veterans are given, and the 
successes they achieve, are directly linked not only to our national 
security, but to the economic underpinnings of our Nation in the modern 
era.
  Ensuring that crucial benefits in the areas of education and home 
loan assistance are not eroded by time or budget concerns is of utmost 
importance--for we must never forget the priceless contributions of our 
veterans, in times of crisis as well as in times of peace.
  Mr. WOFFORD. Madam President, over the course of our Nation's 
history, the United States has tried at the end of each of its 
conflicts to make up in some small ways to our veterans for the 
suffering they experienced, the interruption that military service 
caused in their lives, and the peril to which they subjected themselves 
for the sake of our country's security. Other than some relatively 
modest gestures, little was really done other than to tend their wounds 
or pay them some token bonus. It was up to the veteran to find his way 
back into the American mainstream after his discharge. And many did 
just that, going back to the farm, or returning to the city in search 
of a job.
  However, 50 years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt did something 
for veterans which unalterably changed our country forever. On June 22, 
1944, he signed into law the Servicemans Readjustment Act of 1944, a 
law which has become familiar to most Americans, almost affectionately, 
as the GI bill of rights, or the GI bill. I know, because I was one of 
those young soldiers who benefited from this historic act which 
recognized that citizenship isn't just bout rights that are owed, but 
about responsibilities to the broader society that are earned.
  The GI bill brought historic changes in American society. Conceived 
by the American Legion, the GI bill, for the first time, brought 
college and university training within the reach of thousands of 
Americans who might not have been contemplated attending. It made it 
possible, for the first time, for a new middle class of Americans to 
own their own homes. It educated more than 20 million veterans. It has 
also brought more than 14 million homes.
  The GI bill sent me to college. Along with thousands of my fellow 
veterans, it opened doors for me and set me on a path of public service 
in a variety of capacities. As a college president, I also saw its 
continued positive impact on subsequent generations of Americans.
  Now as a Member of the U.S. Senate, a position I hold no doubt again 
to the GI bill, it's my turn to help ensure that our veterans are never 
forgotten, and indeed, helped along the rest of the way down that long 
path now 50 years old. Just as the education of our veterans 50 years 
ago helped to educate a whole new sector of our society, and in the 
process help to raise the standards of our entire country, so too must 
the health of those veterans be a national commitment.
  And just as the GI bill faced significant opposition from partisan 
obstructionists and special interests, comprehensive health care reform 
faces a similar uphill struggle through the legislative process. In 
1943 and 1944, Congress debated the GI bill for 6 months. During the 
time, there were many naysayers who tried to limit the scope of the 
bill. Opponents of the GI bill wanted the legislation to reach fewer 
veterans, fund fewer educational programs, afford fewer veterans the 
necessary opportunity to achieve professional and personal 
independence. The GI bill passed Congress only when the American Legion 
orchestrated an expansive grassroots campaign that demonstrated the 
public's support of lending a hand to the men who fought for our 
country. When the public demonstrated its overwhelming support of the 
GI bill, Congress passed the legislation with overwhelming majorities. 
Now, we face a similar struggle to pass comprehensive health care 
reform and we must respond with similar intensity.

  Health care in our country is, for many Americans, a constant worry. 
While the VA is charged with caring for our veterans, it is no secret 
that its mission is imperiled by forces beyond its control. Ask any 
veteran who has waited 6 months for an appointment, only to sit 6 hours 
in a waiting room. Veterans health care reform must be a national 
priority. The VA is a solid, hard-working institution, but it needs our 
help. I believe that the solution to its problems lies in the VA's own 
program for reform, a plan which is a centerpiece of the President's 
health care reform effort. It needs our support. I intend to do my 
utmost to see that effort succeed.
  Finally, on this historic anniversary, I want to reiterate my strong 
support for improving access to higher education. From my very first 
bill that improved access to higher education for low- and middle-
income students to my support for many need-based financial aid 
programs, from direct-lending to income-contingent loans, from national 
service and school-to-work to TRIO programs, I shall continue to fight 
to open up the doors of college to more Americans.

                          ____________________