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Update: The bill has now passed the House 412-12 - details below.
A rare statement - perhaps especially in an election year:
"This is an agreement that has been worked out in a bipartisan way that I think is acceptable to both most Democrats and most Republicans and to the White House," Boehner said.He's talking about the war funding bill - that includes a much needed (and long past due) overhaul of veteran's education benefits.
More amazing quotes:
"This is an agreement that has been worked out in a bipartisan way that I think is acceptable to both most Democrats and most Republicans," said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.As recently as Tuesday insiders expressed little hope for the bill's future - but that's apparently changed. To say I'm (pleasantly) shocked is an understatement. Read my previous post (or just its title - "GI Bill" Passes Senate, Moves Headlong to it's Death) and you'll see why.White House Budget Director Jim Nussle signaled Bush would sign the measure.
"It meets the needs of the troops; it doesn't tie the hands of commanders in the field," Nussle said.
Ditto for my first (at least, first this year) post on the topic - in which I dared to dream:
So let me introduce my dream-scenario GI Bill:But as far as I can tell, the compromise bill includes items 1 and 3, with a little bit of 2: "It also allows those who serve six years or longer to share their GI Bill benefits with spouses or children." That leaves me nothing to complain about - though I can't shake a lingering suspicion that those things that sound too good to be true usually are.1. No "buy in"
2. Webb's benefits for short term service, growing to Graham's numbers for career service members.
3. Transferability per Graham's bill. ( I really can't find anyone's defense of the lack of this provision in Webb's bill.)
<...>
And now let me tell you what I think is more likely "New GI Bill": NOTHING. ZIP. NADA, NO CHANGE.
And while I think this validates my concern...:
But some senators, particularly those on the Appropriations Committee, are threatening to add spending for domestic causes. Any Senate amendments would require the House to reconsider the legislation, probably after the week-long congressional recess for the July 4th holiday....I also think the phrase "political suicide" might be apllicable - and obvious to said senators.
More details from CQ Politics here, from The Politico here and here, and from the NY Times here.
From which, this:
The bill, which could be voted on as early as Thursday in the House, would effectively bring to a close the two-year battle between President Bush and Congressional Democrats over war financing by allocating about $163 billion for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through early next year without imposing conditions like a withdrawal deadline.This bill is a compromise - which means there's plenty in it to piss of partisans of any stripe. (Fiscal conservatives will be especially outraged.)
There are a few "face saving" games being played...
Boehner: "It also does not include billions in unrelated wasteful Washington pork that was added by Senate Democrats."
White House Budget Director Jim Nussle:
"It meets the needs of the troops; it doesn't tie the hands of commanders in the field," Nussle said. He also said the spending levels in the bill stayed within Bush's demands. The latter claim was a stretch since the measure will carry new GI Bill benefits, as well as additional unemployment payments that Bush had threatened to veto.
And the entire House "The House bill will be considered today in two parts, allowing most Democrats to oppose the war funding and some Republicans to oppose the domestic spending."
..but overall it's good to see vets winning something besides a war.
Oh, by the way - there are obviously a few hurdles to clear, but folks on some campuses around America might want to get ready for some actual diversity in inbound students. That should be interesting, too.
Update: McCain endorses:
But, with the addition of a clause allowing service members to transfer their benefits to family members, McCain now supports the 21st Century Bill of Rights, the proposal to give substantially more benefits to veterans for college after their service in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan...though I always cringe when I see some moron call it a "Bill of Rights".
Update - 8:16 PM EDT: Just watched the Bill pass the House. Amendment 1 (war funding) 268-155 (19 not voting) and Amendment 2 (GI Bill and domestic spending) 412-12 (11 not voting).
Update: The Bill passsed the Senate, and the President signed it into law. (My thanks to all Mudville readers who helped make that happen!)
Previous entries:
How Republicans "lost" the Military Vote
G.I. wish I could go to college
"GI Bill" Passes Senate, Moves Headlong to it's Death
