Kicking Ass: The Democratic Party's Blog

Support the Troops

Posted by Michael Link on May 6, 2008 at 03:45 PM

The must-read piece for the day is this one, which takes John McCain to task for failing to help give the troops and veterans the education benefits that they've more than earned.

The Bush administration opposes it, and so does Senator John McCain. [...] The benefits have not kept pace over the decades with the real costs of attending college. Moreover, service members have to make an out-of-pocket contribution — something over $100 a month during their first year of service — to qualify for the watered-down benefits. [...] Senator McCain’s office said on Monday that it was following the Pentagon’s lead on this matter, getting guidance from Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Under pressure because of his unwillingness to support Senator Webb’s effort, Senator McCain introduced legislation with substantially fewer co-sponsors last week that expands some educational benefits for G.I.’s, but far less robustly than Senator Webb’s bill.

“It’s not even close to the Webb bill,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an advocacy group.

Comments (3) «

McCain hates veterans!
He wants voters to kiss his butt because of his record in 'Nam, but he has turned his back on the veterans who are fighting, dying, and coming back mentally and physically wounded from this illegal "war".
Hooooah!!!! Senator Webb!!! You go, guy!!!!!

1
Butte on May 6, 2008 at 04:35 PM

Well, if the WH supports, it McCain supports it. Even though he's soooooooo different from Bush. Like the time he disagreed about something, but then voted with the WH anyways.

McCain is a puppet, not a politician!

www.serveoutloud.blogspot.com

2
margotb822 on May 6, 2008 at 04:45 PM

The Senate voted today on the GI Bill sponsored by Senator Graham and co-sponsored by McCain and Burr and 18 others.

The Bill failed to pass.

http://democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=297813&

May 14, 2008

Reid: Bipartisan Senate Rejects Senator McCain's Efforts to Undermine Collective Bargaining, G.I. Bills

Washington, DC—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made the following statement today after the Senate rejected Republicans’ efforts to attach Senator McCain’s alternative G.I. bill to the collective bargaining bill and delay help for first responders:

“A bipartisan majority of the Senate has rejected a petty, partisan effort to stand in the way of making Americans safer. This vote is a message to Bush/McCain Republicans that the U.S. Senate will not stand for political games at the expense of our nation’s first responders and veterans. I hope Senator McCain hears that message loud and clear, and urge him to join us to support both of these important bills – one to give our firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians the rights they deserve, and another to give our veterans the educational opportunities they have earned.”

###

--

I tried to find the vote record at www.congress.org, but was unable to pull it up tonight.

Here's who signed on as co-sponsors to the revised GI bill.

http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN02938:@@@P

S.2938
Title: A bill to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to improve educational assistance for members of the Armed Forces and veterans in order to enhance recruitment and retention for the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Graham, Lindsey [SC] (introduced 4/29/2008) Cosponsors (20)

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2008 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

COSPONSORS(20), BY DATE [order is left to right]: (Sort: alphabetical order)

Sen Burr, Richard [NC] - 4/29/2008
Sen McCain, John [AZ] - 4/29/2008
Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA] - 4/29/2008
Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT] - 4/29/2008
Sen Cornyn, John [TX] - 4/29/2008
Sen Alexander, Lamar [TN] - 4/29/2008
Sen Hutchison, Kay Bailey [TX] - 4/29/2008
Sen Martinez, Mel [FL] - 4/29/2008
Sen Stevens, Ted [AK] - 4/29/2008
Sen Cochran, Thad [MS] - 4/29/2008
Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME] - 4/29/2008
Sen Barrasso, John [WY] - 4/29/2008
Sen Domenici, Pete V. [NM] - 4/29/2008
Sen Dole, Elizabeth [NC] - 4/29/2008
Sen Wicker, Roger F. [MS] - 4/29/2008
Sen Isakson, Johnny [GA] - 4/29/2008
Sen Inhofe, James M. [OK] - 4/29/2008
Sen Thune, John [SD] - 5/1/2008
Sen Vitter, David [LA] - 5/7/2008
Sen Craig, Larry E. [ID] - 5/8/2008

3
SkyBluWaters on May 14, 2008 at 11:35 PM


« Hide Comments

Comments are now closed for this entry.