Chet Edwards For Congress

May 20, 2005
Renew Our Promise This Memorial Day
A Column by Chet Edwards

For 137 years, we have paused on the last Monday of May to remember and honor those Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to country. This year, as we salute fallen heroes from a new generation and those who have gone before, we should pledge to them and to ourselves to honor their sacrifice every day. One of the most meaningful actions the nation can take is for Congress to keep the many promises that have been made to our men and women in uniform, to our military veterans, to reservists and members of the National Guard, and to military retired.

In 1944, the Congress enacted the GI Bill of Rights, first drafted by the American Legion, in order to honor the Greatest Generation, who ultimately won World War II. In doing so, the federal government supported our returning troops with educational benefits, loans to buy a home, and medical assistance. Nearly 8 million veterans went to school under the original GI Bill. In effect, the GI Bill jumpstarted our economy and created a strong middle class.

Currently, more than 1 million have served thus far in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. And our National Guard and Reserve personnel have made an unprecedented contribution in the effort – providing nearly half of the troops in Iraq. These troops have served our nation with distinction, and it is time for a grateful nation to honor that service.

That is why I have introduced H.R. 2131, the G.I. Bill of Rights for the 21st Century, a package of legislative initiatives that will improve benefits for our service men and women and provide long overdue benefits for our veterans and military retirees. It will bolster support for troops serving abroad as well as their families here at home. There are special provisions for the National Guard and Reserve as well as improved education, health care, and job training benefits.

The GI Bill of Rights package will help meet the needs of those returning veterans, which is critical to helping our returning soldiers become a productive part of a prosperous economy, and also provide an important recruiting tool to encourage new soldiers to enlist.

Some of the major provisions of this legislation would:

Improve veterans’ health care. Currently, more than 50,000 veterans are waiting in line for at least six month for veterans’ health care and estimates indicate approximately 300,000 new veterans will enter the VA system next year.

Improve mental health support for returning soldiers. Mental health experts indicate that as many as 17% of the troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan experience symptoms related to a mental health disorder, such as depression, anxiety or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

End the Disabled Veterans Tax. I have been fighting to end the disabled veterans’ tax, which forces disabled military retirees to give up one dollar of their pension for every dollar of disability pay they receive. The G.I. Bill of Rights would end this unfair tax for all of the nearly 400,000 military retirees who continue to pay it. End the Military Families Tax (SBP/DIC offset). The Survivor Benefit Plan penalizes survivors, mostly widows of soldiers killed as a result of combat. This would end the Military Families Tax for the 53,000 spouses who continue to pay this unfair tax, which affects families that have made the greatest sacrifice for our country.

Improve military pay with a targeted pay raise for mid-level and senior NCO’s and warrant officers. These pay raises are needed for the critical, senior enlisted personnel who are most involved in the fighting and key to military retention, so readiness does not suffer.

Expand military health care (TRICARE) for National Guard/Reservists. Despite the fact that more than 300,000 members of the National Guard and Reserves have been called up for active duty over the last two and one-half years, 20 percent of all reservists do not have health insurance, and 40 percent of reservists aged 19 to 35 lack health coverage.

Modernize and enhance the GI Bill Education and Job Training Programs. For those who enlist or reenlist for four years of active duty, the full cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies, and a subsistence allowance of $900/month for 36 months would be provided. It would also annually adjust veterans’ education benefits to keep pace with the cost of higher education.

We can never fully repay our soldiers and veterans for their sacrifice, but we have a moral obligation to keep our promises and provide those who serve the quality health care and benefits they have earned. The 21st Century Bill of Rights could be paid for by asking those who make more than $1 million a year to give up a small percentage of the recently passed temporary tax cuts. Surely, that is not too much to ask, given the long standing American principle of shared sacrifice during time of war.

Our servicemen and women have kept their promises to us. It’s now up to Congress to keep our promises to them.

Edwards is the ranking member on the House Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee.