Despite a veto threat from the White House, congressional leaders are seeking to expand educational benefits for military veterans.
The ongoing war in Iraq — now more than five years old — is prompting many lawmakers to consider a major expansion of the veterans’ GI Bill to levels that would cover full tuition at the most costly public colleges and universities.
The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act would expand GI Bill benefits dramatically for individuals who have served three years in the military since Sept. 11, 2001. In addition to tuition at a four-year college or university, recipients could receive a $1,000 monthly stipend.
While supporters acknowledge the measure could cost upwards of $2 billion a year, they say that figure is less than the United States spends weekly on the war in Iraq. Sponsors would fund the bill by raising taxes on individuals making more than $500,000 a year and couples earning above $1 million annually.
Many education groups also endorse the plan.
“It’s the least we can do for these individuals,” says Gabriel Pendas, president of the United States Student Association.
Pendas, who has a younger brother on active duty in Iraq, says many of those currently fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan have dreams to attend college. “They want to live the American dream,” he tells Diverse. “It seems like such an easy piece of legislation to pass.”
If enacted into law, the measure is likely to help many young adults of color since some minority groups, particularly African- Americans, are overrepresented in the U.S. military.
According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Blacks make up 17 percent of the armed forces, higher than their 11 percent share of the total U.S. work force. Hispanics are about 9 percent of those in the military, slightly below their share among the general work force.
But as with many initiatives in Washington, the path toward enactment is not smooth. While some opponents have cited the law’s cost, others have said it may discourage re-enlistments at a time when the military is struggling to meet its enrollment targets.
