[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 125 (Friday, September 29, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1982-E1983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               A TOTAL FORCE GI BILL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 29, 2006

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, today I urge my colleagues' support of 
legislation that has been introduced to enhance, improve and modernize 
veterans' education and training programs. Specifically, I am proud to 
be an original co-sponsor of H.R. 6250, a bill introduced by Dr. Vic 
Snyder of Arkansas, a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.
  Nearly 62 years have passed since congressional enactment of the 
``Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944'', commonly known as the ``GI 
Bill of Rights'', by all accounts a landmark legislative 
accomplishment. Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the 
implementation of the ``Montgomery GI Bill'' (MGIB), another critically 
important legislative measure which has been credited for the creation 
of the middle class in America.
  Now, the time has come to develop a ``Total Force GI Bill for the 
21st Century.'' For education and training benefits to remain a 
relevant recruitment, retention and readjustment tool, we must ensure 
that VA's education and training programs reflect the current manner in 
which individuals earn and learn in today's competitive marketplace.
  A ``Total Force GI Bill'' must also reflect today's military force 
structure. Clearly, we all recognize the total force policy of our 
military includes increased activation of the National Guard and 
Reserve forces. Like no other time in our history have citizen-soldiers 
sacrificed so much and served with such distinction as they currently 
do in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since September 11, 2001, nearly 500,000 
National Guard and Reservists have been activated, and approximately 40 
percent of the troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are 
citizen-soldiers. These patriots have earned and deserve high quality 
education and training benefits, to be used even after they separate 
from military service. The ``Total Force GI Bill'' proposal would 
organize all MGIB programs within a single area of Federal law and 
under the jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It 
would allow members of the National Guard and Reserves to use their 
education benefits after they separate from military service, for up to 
a period of 10 years.
  I want to work in a bipartisan fashion to improve and modernize the 
MGIB so that it better reflects current trends in education and 
vocational training programs. The VA's Advisory Committee on Education 
and the Partnership for Veterans Education--a group made up of 
traditional veterans and military service organizations, as well as 
higher education advocates, all have endorsed the provisions of H.R. 
6250. I believe this legislative proposal deserves careful 
consideration, and I pledge to work to pass the funding needed to 
support these improvements.

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