Barack Obama/Jim Webb vs John Mccain - Veteran GI Bill

Today, three-quarters of the Senate voted to support a new GI Bill for the troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Following the 256-166 victory in the House last week, the GI Bill has achieved almost unparalleled momentum. A number of Senators actually changed their NO votes to AYE, as it became clear that this vote was going to be a landslide: 75-22.

These 75 Senators stood with Senators Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel in favor of a new bipartisan GI Bill that actually covers the cost of college. As these Senators return home to honor troops and veterans during the Memorial Day recess, they can proudly point to their vote this week as proof of their commitment to our troops. IAVA thanks each and every one of them.

For the 22 Senators opposing this crucial legislation, I can only express my disappointment. For them, partisanship came before patriotism. (Three Senators were not present for the voting, including Senator Kennedy, who was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor, and Senator McCain, who was at a fundraising event in California.) This was truly a historic vote, and the numbers give me tremendous confidence for the future of the GI Bill. We had a little debate at IAVA HQ about whether to call the margin "powerful" or "overwhelming" - but the real adjective is this: VETO-PROOF.

The President has threatened on multiple occasions to veto the emergency supplemental if it includes war timelines or other policy restrictions, or if it goes over his arbitrary budget cap. The Administration has also expressed objections to the GI Bill based on concerns about retention - basically, they believe that if a GI Bill benefit is too good, it'll reward veterans too richly for their service and draw them away from re-enlisting. You can read my response to that nonsensical argument here.

So with a veto threat looming, we haven't won yet. There is one final hurdle--and it is a big one: the President. When the politicians return to Washington after Memorial Day, Congress will get a final version of the war funding bill to the President, and President Bush will have to decide whether he is with Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, or against them.
We've seen today that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle can come together to support our troops. With your help, we can ensure the President will do the same.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-rieckhoff/75-senators-stand-with-ve_b_1031...

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[evildemocrat]

I'm a veteran of the Iraq war, and I would die before voting for John McCain. That piece of garbage should not be put in charge of our military. If nothing else, republicans usually take care of the military...he's a disgrace...end of story.

[SHAOLINSHADOWBOXER80]

Obama / Webb 08'

This is the dream ticket..

[ClutchFan1971]

Funny to look back and see how much in the tank the media was for this clown of a president we now have.

[kattyshack088]

well jim the reason why they havent done it nor will is because they dont care about the servicemen and women.

[balla9985]

is this an SNL scene his hair makes it seem so

[SunnyKid975]

Every year from 2004 to 2007, McCain voted against a VA health-care bill for troops coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2008, he did not vote at all on the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act, yet spoke out against it. This bill was a bipartisan effort by Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and would have paid a veterans tuition rather than only some of it, as the GI Bill does today.

[flagsandstaff]

We need to debunk the McCain War Hero myth once and for all. If McCain really cared about the troops and Vets, why did he consistently vote AGAINST helping them?

Access the facts about McCain and our Vets on my channel.

[lthom33]

Drugged out Cindy was talking today @ a rally injecting her phoney outrage over a Bill her husband voted against to support troops. Obama didn't sign it because he wanted a timeline withdraw & Mccain didn't sign it because the timeline was put in. I've researched both canidates & I'm at the point where I can't even watch McCain anymore. He's appauling.

[Funpaktr]

McCain voted 28 times AGAINST improving the benefits for our vets. Veteran Report Card gives McCain D Grade. Obama gets B Grade. Please forward this video to let people know who truly supports our military!!!!

[jimhudson3452]

900 Iraq-Afghan. vets are amputees, 320,000have TBI & 300,000 PTSD or depression. Troop suicides double peers' rate. 1,000s suffer burns, paralysis, disease, near mortal wounds. 4,700: dead.

McCain said no to billions for VA health, TBI research, & PTSD care. He'd ration vets care for combat injured, leaving millions without care. He opposed New GI Bill: 'too generous.'

DAV: McCain with 20% of the time, Obama 85%.

Being a vet not same as being there for vets. Jim Hudson

Vietnam 69-70