[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 10200]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        DEMOCRATS PUT TROOPS AND VETERANS FIRST WITH NEW GI BILL

  (Mr. ARCURI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, last week, Congress, with strong Democratic 
support, passed the new GI Bill, which provides all veterans of the 
Iraq and Afghanistan wars the promise of a full 4-year college 
scholarship. The bill makes veterans a part of the American economic 
recovery.
  The original GI Bill in 1944 allowed millions of families to achieve 
the American Dream. It also set our economy on the right course after 
World War II. For every dollar spent on the GI Bill, $7 were returned 
to the economy. A similar economic spark is needed today. You would 
think that the new GI Bill would gain the support of President Bush. 
But he opposes it. Unfortunately, the vast majority of House 
Republicans opposed the bill when it was on the floor last week. We 
must make sure that the brave men and women that we are sending off to 
battle have everything they need and deserve when they return home.
  Mr. Speaker, House Democrats vow to never leave a veteran behind 
after returning from war by ensuring that they receive the quality care 
and benefits they have earned. That includes living up to the promise 
of providing them access to quality higher education.

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