Today President Bush signed a new bill into law that boosts GI Bill college benefits.

The Associated Press lists the benefits outlined in the bill:

$63 billion over 10 years for increased college aid for military service members and veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001. The value of the benefit is more than doubled _from $40,000 to $90,000, enough to cover a full four-year college education in most cases. The new benefit would provide full in-state tuition and fees for enrollment in a public college, a monthly housing stipend and $1,000 per year for books and supplies. People who serve three years would receive the full benefit; those with shorter enlistments would receive between 40 percent and 90 percent of the benefit. The benefits could be transferred to a service member’s spouse or children.

Author of the bill, Senator Jim Webb when speaking on Countdown with Keith Obermann today, said that this bill will, “give the people who served since 9/11 the same kind of benefits as those who served during World War 2 and they’ve got a chance at a first class future. I couldn’t be happier.”

If you are a veteran wondering if you will qualify for these benefits, Leo Shane III at Stars and Stripes as a good overview: The new GI Bill: A study guide

For editorial commentary, here are a couple of the interesting reactions about this bill passing:

Dorian De Wind at The Moderate Voice has written several posts about this bill including The New G.I. Bill — From Someone “on the Ground” and this final update.

Jason Linkins at Huffington Post sums up what many news junkies, bloggers and otherwise, quickly picked up on: Bush Wrongly Credits McCain For ‘Working Hard’ On G.I. Bill



Categories: General