Grassroots Power: Thank You Video From Senators Webb and Hagel for Supporting New GI Bill

28,000 petition signatures.

32,000 letters and thousands of calls to Congress.

With the support of thousands of readers from The Huffington Post, IAVA helped make history. When the GI Bill was signed into law by President Bush at the end of June, we hope you took pride in the fact that many of you contributed to this remarkable victory.

Two of the main co-sponsors of the legislation, Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE), want to thank you for your dedication to the cause, along with Patrick Campbell, IAVA's Legislative Director, and myself.

Take a minute to watch.

Click here to watch.

As mentioned in the video, www.GIBill2008.org will relaunch in the next few weeks as a comprehensive resource for veterans to learn about the new GI Bill.

This is your victory. Generations of veterans to come will benefit from the new GI Bill, thanks to your hard work. Pass this video along to your friends and family and be proud of this accomplishment.

Follow Paul Rieckhoff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulRieckhoff

Comments

[GnitenGoodLk]

Seeing this bill pass is at the top of my list for great moments I've had at Huffpo. Thank you for letting us regular folks get the chance to pitch in, and thanks to Arianna & company for running a phenomenal blog to give it the high visibility it deserved.

[Leatherhelmet]

It was a pathetic effort at legislation.

I'm all for a great GI Bill for our wonderful soldiers, but the the idiots who sponsored the bill provided no way to pay for it -- no special tax and no cuts elsewhere.

Just more debt for a country with a weak dollar and concerns on rising inflation.

Horrific job of governing.

[wdw101]

i agree. these idiots just want to spend with no day of reckoning. The day of reckoning is coming.

[FollowTheLeader]

Good Job Paul, Semper Fi USMC 83 to 90

[Interested01]

Thank you! And congratulations on a job well done.

[jmcon]

It only cost them a piece of their souls when they both voted 'yea' on passage of the Constituti­on-damagin­g FISA bill. Yeah, great swap off guys, from one vet to another, and one who fought in An Hoa as a Marine at the same time as Senator Webb. Great swap off. Pardon me if I don't pop any corks.

[Kassandra]

My thoughts exactly. Why can't we have both?

I fought against this FISA bill tooth and nail for, it seems the last 2 years. I guess they pick and choose what issues to pay attention to the "grassroots" on. PAH!

I am glad for this country finally doing SOMETHING for the vets they have used up, however. My creds? I was a war protester in the '60's and '70's.

[lisak2008]

I'm popping corks on my third bottle by now and I served in Operation Desert Storm...pl­us I'm a disabled veteran!!! Excellent job to all involved in getting this thing passed, even to those alleged vets who still whine over FISA, you know, the bill that McCain was against and couldn't even bother to show up and take an official yay or nay position on as a part of his day job as a United States Senator!! Maybe somehow, some way this bill will provide benefits to someone you know in a way that will take away your whine.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

While the passage of FISA 'may' have been part of the behind-closed-doors deal that got the new GI Bill also passed, I'm inclined to think not. The GI Bill was actually part of the $160 Billion in additional appropriations for the war in Afghanistan and the occupation of Iraq for OIL. It was NOT part of the FISA legislation. The preznutz getting every dime of money for private mercenaries and tribal bribes he asked for without conditional timelines was the likely price for the new GI Bill.

The FISA deal was more probably accomplished to allow Dems to take the 'weak on national security' issue off the voting tables, and one MUST assume the many lawyers in CONgress that voted for it actually KNEW it was always Unconstitutional, and that like the elimination of habeas corpus in the Military Commissions Act it would eventually be overturned, anyway.

[MHR55]

I'm glad you thanked Webb, as Bush neglected to do when he annouced the signing. Of course, he did thank McCain, who opposed the bill and didn't even vote on it.

Next battle, improving health benefits for vets and speeding up the time it takes for them to receive said benefits after discharge.

[only1Demvoter]

Paul : Thank You for all you have done to facilitate the passing of this momentus, historic G.I. Bill !

( Got your e-mail as well. )

Thanx Paul. -ralph

[NoFactsJustTruth]

To Paul and the IAVA,

Signing your petition was inconsequential compared to the work done by IAVA on behalf of OUR returning and serving veterans, and the benefits this will return to OUR country.

I am, and I'm hopeful every other veteran that EVER benefited from a similer GI Bill should be, thanking you instead of the other way around.

[BassMonk]

I would like to thank the Senators and IAVA for all the work that went into making this GI Bill a reality. We couldn't make a better investment for the future.

[wdw101]

How about cuts in welfare to pay for it.