Why Won’t McCain Support the Better GI Bill?

There is a strong bipartisan effort, S. 22, underway to try and improve the GI Bill and make it somewhat resemble its original purpose of covering all (or most) of college tuition and housing for veterans. This bill is being sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.). There are 57 senators that have signed on as co-sponsors (three short of the 60 needed). Who isn’t in that group? Senator John McCain.

McCain has jumped on with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) to propose the weaker Enhancement of Recruitment, Retention and Readjustment through Education Act modification of the GI Bill. I’m not even going to touch the creepiness of the “Readjustment” portion of the title. But I will point out that the “Retention” part is key. After all, how are you going to fight a war for 100 years if everyone keeps leaving the service? But first, the basics of what each bill is providing.

The main problem with the current GI bill is that the money it provides for education does not in any way match what it actually costs to go to school in this country. The current bill provides $1,100 a month for up to three years. Anyone who has attended even a community college within the past ten years knows that amount doesn’t stretch very far.

The McCain backed bill would only increase that monthly stipend to $1,500 with a yearly book stipend of $500 and no living costs included. The Webb bill has no money cap since it promises to cover the cost of up to the most expensive state schools and match the dollar amounts a private school is willing to provide. A monthly housing stipend will be given tailored to the area that the service member lives in. It is not meant to fully support the student but rather gives them the chance to go to school full time and work part time. The yearly book stipend under the Webb bill would be $1,000. The Webb bill covers anyone (including active reservists and those in the National Guard) who has served at least 36 months of “qualified active duty” that began on or after September 11th. Approximately 75% of those in the Army and Marines fall under that category.

The McCain bill does offer one thing that the Webb bill doesn’t: transfer of benefits. But there is a catch. A service member can transfer their benefits (up to 18 months) to a spouse or child- but they need to have 6 years of service under their belt. If they want 36 months of their benefits to get transferred, they need to have 12 years of service. Additionally, if military academy and ROTC grads want to be eligible for benefits, they need to sign on for a five year extension of their initial agreement. In other words- if you want to see some benefits, you’d better do the time. And if you’re in that 75% majority of people leaving after one tour- sorry about your luck.

Veterans, obviously, are not thrilled with McCain pushing the obviously inferior bill rather than joining up with Webb:

“Sens. McCain, Graham and Burr are shortchanging our veterans and undermining America’s heroes as they reach for the American dream,” said VoteVets’s Soltz. “Frankly, it hurts to have two veterans, like Sens. McCain and Graham treat us like this. We would expect that they would have more honor than that.”

Senator Graham’s “honor” was on full display at a recent press conference about the bill he is backing:

Asked if he thought a living stipend was needed in addition to the basic benefit, Graham said room and board is factored into the cost. “we don’t have beer money included,” he said

Classy, Graham. Really classy.

Tags: GI bill, Jim Webb, John McCain, military