[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 86 (Friday, June 24, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1342]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE NEW G.I. BILL: PAYING A DEBT TO TODAY'S VETERANS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 23, 2005

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the G.I. Bill of 
Rights for the 21st Century.
  This week, we commemorate the 61st anniversary of the G.I. Bill. The 
bill was enacted in 1944 to support our troops returning from World War 
II with educational benefits, home loans and medical assistance. This 
legislation greatly impacted my life.
  I was a high school dropout when I first enlisted in the U.S. Army in 
1948. After serving in Korea, where I was awarded a Purple Heart and a 
Bronze Star, I came back home in 1952 with no idea of what to do next. 
I had achieved the rank of Sergeant, but now I found myself frustrated, 
pushing hand trucks in New York's garment district, just as I had 
before I was deployed to Korea. Desperate for help, I went to the 
Veterans Administration where I learned the government would pay for my 
education under the G.I. Bill. I decided to finish high school and to 
pursue a higher education and a law degree. The rest is history.
  Almost 8 million veterans went to college as a result of the original 
G.I. Bill and we owe today's veterans that same opportunity tailored to 
today's needs. Today, there are Charlie Rangels from all over the 
country who don't know what they will be doing when they return from 
serving. They enlisted with the hope of a better way of life by getting 
an education through the G.I. Bill. More than one million men and women 
have served so far in Iraq and Afghanistan. These troops have put their 
lives on the line for our country, and we owe them nothing less than a 
new and improved G.I. Bill.
  The new G.I. Bill recently introduced by Democrats in Congress, if 
passed, would improve benefits for our men and women serving today and 
meets the needs of veterans and military retirees.
  To help our soldiers take part in our economy and help recruit new 
service members, the new G.I. Bill would provide the full cost for 
college or job training for those who serve four or more years of 
active duty. It would also provide $1,000 bonuses to the nearly 1 
million troops who have been placed in harm's way in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. The new G.I. Bill also honors our National Guard and 
Reserve by expanding military health care to cover all reservists, 
making sure they do not suffer a pay cut while deployed and improving 
incentives for recruitment and retention.
  For military retirees and the families of those who died in the line 
of duty, the package would eliminate the Disabled Veterans Tax, 
allowing disabled veterans to receive disability compensation along 
with their retirement pension. It would also do away with the Military 
Families Tax which penalizes survivors, mostly widows, of those killed 
as a result of combat from injuries sustained in service. These widows 
lose their survivor benefits if they receive compensation because their 
spouse has died of a service-connected injury. If passed, the bill 
would also improve veterans' health care.
  Like me, most of today's volunteers are from economically depressed 
urban and rural areas with high rates of unemployment. Enticed by 
enlistment bonuses up to $20,000, they look at the military as an 
economic opportunity. In effect, they are subject to an economic draft. 
This is why I appealed to President Bush to call on all Americans to 
share the burden of war.
  I oppose the war in Iraq, whose justifications have all been proven 
false. I strongly support the troops, whose job is not to question the 
legitimacy of the war, but to follow the orders they are given. We must 
see to it that we show them how much we appreciate their sacrifice.

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