The House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would raise taxes for the wealthy to increase funding for a new GI Bill.
The extra funding would allow people who joined the armed forces since Sept. 11, 2001, and have been honorably discharged to receive a free four-year college education at a public institution. This is obviously an important and welcome addition to the GI Bill.
The men and women who voluntarily joined the armed services after Sept. 11 deserve compensation for their bravery, and any measure Congress can pass to do so should be supported.
But this board wonders whether or not it is a good idea to focus on improving the new GI Bill without first improving other vital services offered to veterans.
Soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will likely need medical and psychological attention before they need a college degree, and it should fall to the public and Congress to provide those transitional services to the best capacity they can.
The Bush administration has expressed that the bill would likely be vetoed if it passes the Senate, citing the president’s refusal to raise taxes.
It is interesting that soldiers fighting a war the president championed, currently putting this country on track to be trillions of dollars more in debt, should be forced to endure inadequate services because the president dislikes raising taxes.
President Bush should do whatever he can to support the troops fighting his war, even after they leave the battleground.