GI Bill Favors Some States Over Others

Sen. Jim Webb's Post-9/11 GI Bill, which went into effect August 1, calls for the federal government to subsidize a veteran's tuition up to the amount it would cost to attend the most expensive public university in the veteran's home state.

The idea was to achieve fairness for those veterans who happen to live in states with higher tuition.

But it turns out that tuition at one tiny program at a Texas university is so high that veterans from that state can get subsidies big enough to cover the cost of many of the private institutions in that state, including Texas Christian, Baylor and Southern Methodist University.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Wyoming and South Dakota offer the lowest in tuition coverage -- at less than $100 per credit hour, in contrast to the $1,500 per credit hour available in Texas.

Practically speaking, the difference won't be so great, as many private institutions are signing up for the Yellow Ribbon program: the government, by way of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, will match the amount (up to 50 percent) laid out by any private institution to subsidize veterans' tuition.

John Hermansen, a representative from the Student Veterans of America, said that inequalities in the system were more likely to be determined by which private institutions chose to opt in to the Yellow Ribbon program than the different amounts available in each state.

While the GI Bill radically expands the options available to veterans, not everyone is satisfied. In an article on the site Military.com last August, a commentator noted that the different types of benefits afforded, depending on length of service, only takes into account time spent in the military after September 11th, 2001.

A spokesperson for Senator Webb's office explained:

"This bill was designed to recognize the service of those who've served since 9/11, this bill was designed as a wartime bill, the Montgomery bill was designed as a peacetime incentive to recruit service members but not for a time of war...the last 7 years in a wartime environment should be properly rewarded."

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Comments

[GerryS]

"New GI Bill Favors Veterans In Texas"

but only if they vote GOP---------------------

[nowarpleez]

Texas is a welfare state. When will they be leaving the union?

[djtyg]

I live in Michigan and I'm loving the new GI Bill. I'm going to get to go to college for the first time in years.

I don't care if Texas is getting more money, so long as I get mine.

[Peacedog]

Thank you for such a great attitude and for your service to our great country.

[JackND]

I agree.

It isn't the administration's fault that tuition rates differ.

This is a non-story, and the headline is typically misleading.

[wonkguy]

This is the GI Bill John McCain voted against because he said it would make it harder for the military to re-enlist soldiers if the veteran's benefits were too good. They better make those benefits good consider the crap they put the soldiers through.

[solarian]

still living in the past john your only claim to fame is you where a pow. have 2 friend who where pows and one escaped and got caught again that what you supposed to do escape

[RightWingMarine]

I love my Marine Corps but couldn't we find an officer that has actually done something and at least has more medals on his chest than the Marines on either side of him? Stinking butter bars.

[solarian]

try audy murphy most decorated in ww2 got every medal there is

[callmeslice23]

I thought Texas didn't want any of that dirty socialist money?

[RightWingMarine]

all this crying about Texas veterans getting more than other veterans. I had been under the impression that everyone knew this, we are free to move about in this country and we don't even have to get permission first. Want to go to school in TX but can't afford out of state tuition? Move here for a year and then apply.

[sherwoodforest]

Why do the blue states have to pay for the red states?
If you want to give your guys a better deal- do it with your own tax base. Fed should have a standard and then if states want to increase they can- but not charge other states to make up the difference.

[brklynivn]

Funny how the blue states have to subsidize these "independent" red states -- they want it, let them red states pay for it themselves.

[GrumpyinAZ]

We should be withdrawing our troops from Texas, they don't want AMERICANS there anyway.

[massthreat]

Keep in mind rick perry doesn't speak for me. And you don't as well.

[bighat]

There is another alternative if you people do not believe the soldiers deserve an education and VA benefits.

There is the draft. Charlie Rangel has been wanting to start one.

Draft would end the DADT and all men and women must register and serve. If they are not able to be in condition for combat then they can serve in cleaning up VA hospitals

[sherwoodforest]

I agree- bring back the draft!
I am glad GIs are getting benefits- Obama did this, rather than the last guys who sent them to war without equipment and kicked them off benefits when sick.

[bighat]

Why single out Texas. What do the universites of Harvard, Yale, Penn State, Stanford, and Berkley cost.?

[ReallyMe]

Why not read the article? Tuition reimbursement is based on the highest STATE school. As Harvard, Yale and Stanford are PRIVATE, their higher tuition doesn't affect in any way the amount of money students from the states where they are located get reimbursed.

[czs5056]

Penn State is about 27k a year including housing, food, and books for in state people

[Pleneras]

They give a war time benefit to those who attended no matter what states they come from. All those in Iraq and Afhganistan are not from Texas!

[Grannysue]

I get so furious when any Republican wears a flag pin and says they "support the troops", no they support WAR, but the troops they can all get screwed. My son, a former marine served five and a half years, he went to the gulf twice, not this past WAR but prior, anyway, he totally blew out his knee, the military gave him a 30% disability rating. Prior to being discharged some physician operated on him and "rebuilt" his knee with cadaver parts. Then he was discharged, one year later his knee totally collapsed, we found an orthopedist who did the surgery, and had to do it using my son's health insurance through the Railroad where he works, the veterans admin said "unless your bones sticking out of your leg," we can't see you for six months. Tomorrow I will take my 30 year old son to the same hospital with the same orthopedist to have a "complete knee replacement". The railroads insurance is going to cover it. This guy can't bare the pain, has problems walking, the orthopedist said he usually doesn't do surgery like this on someone his age but it's bone on bone at this point.
So, if this new bill gives these guys more benefits I say hurray, now, tell them how they get them?

[JessWonderin]

Isn't this the SAME Benefit Bill that McCain OPPOSED and was also opposed my most Republicans in debate????

and the Support the Troops Republicans voted NAY as follows:

NAYs ---22

Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bennett (R-UT)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lugar (R-IN)
McConnell (R-KY)
Sessions (R-AL)
Voinovich (R-OH)

don't see any Democrats NOT "Supporting the Troops" . . .

0-0

[aznurse]

This needs more coverage

[teron678]

As someone said ...

The GOP support Wars ..

The Democrats support ... the troops ...

[PWM]

The GOP sent our men into danger without proper body armor. Shame on them.

[bannorhill]

The military budget was cut under Bill Clinton so the tools and protection were not available when the war started.

[bighat]

The DNC is continuing 2 wars for no reason except the support of blackwater and haliburton and countless other companies.

[Sam1234567]

Like when they spit on them coming back from Vietnam?

[bighat]

The democrats not only spit on the vietnam troops they were running the vietnam war. They were the ones that said take the hill. No give up the hill. No, take the hill etc etc

[Roverredux]

My sibling was spit on when he returned from Nam however, the lady doing the spitting didn't identify which party she was with. How can you tell what party they belonged to? Do they wear buttons??????

[MajorKong]

Mostly an urban legend.

[EggZacktly]

When I came home from Vietnam it was the VFW who refused to allow Veitnam Vets into their chapters saying we didn't fight in a 'real war' Put your spit myth where it deserves to go.

[jrmarsh]

If the red states were not repeatedly supported by blue state's tax revenues they would live in squalor. They better be careful what they wish for.

[Sam1234567]

Texas has a budget surplus.

[smchp]

Texas is the exception. Other exception is N Dakota and that's becuase they have so few people and are mostly rural.

[SAdelmann]

The Texas budget surplus doesn't mean a thing. Federal programs are funded by income taxes - and they collect more in taxes from the blue states: New york, California, Connecticut, Massachesetts, Illinois.

[ReallyMe]

And how much do they get in federal dollars that helps enable their budget "surplus?"

[drjoann]

Here we go, again:

TX=Net Donor State
TX=Net Donor State
TX=Net Donor State
TX=Net Donor State
TX=Net Donor State
TX=Net Donor State
TX=Net Donor State.

Repeat until you realize that it makes no sense to lump TX in w/ the other Red States. BTW - latest polling is showing TX trending purple. TX Progressives have an uphill battle, it it is certainly possible to turn TX Blue.

[Pippen]

We were blue before GW, remember we voted for Governor Ann Richards, the best Governor we ever had. Then I suspect the rural county voting machines took on a personality of their own with the help of Diebold and some of GW Senior's CIA help.

We'll be back in blue in no time but part of the problem is that the only radio station that anyone listens too here is 740am and it's 24/7 Limbaugh and Hannity and their cohorts spewing and vomiting anything anti- Obama or democratic.

If the Dems dont pony up their own counter attack to this message, I can't sympathize.

[bannorhill]

Who supports who? Chevron makes $billions on the North Slope Alaskian oil. Where are their taxes paid from? Chevron headquarters in San Ramon, CA. Bechtel of San Francisco built a state of the art coal fired power plant in Illinois. Again the taxes were paid from California.

So the question to you is where did the revenues come from that developed the tax liability?

[bighat]

What blue states revenue. The blue states are broke. Seen Ca or NY

If you hate TX then write your congressman to let TX go