Find Out Who Really Supports Our Troops

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) has a 2008 Veterans Report Card on line -- interesting because it clearly details this year's votes on issues affecting our veterans, and when you read carefully, it also offers clear documentation about who repeatedly tried to stop support for our veterans and then worked to hide their original votes, i.e., voted against it before they voted for it.

2008 Veterans Report Card

For example, click into your Representative's votes on Senator Jim Webb's New GI Bill, that received strong support in the Senate on the first try, but in the US House took three votes to get it right.

We don't have space to detail every single Member of Congress here on our web page, but you'll find them by clicking Report Card. Then look carefully at the votes because the "grade" that IAVA gives them is sometimes deceiving. For example, we looked at Representative Steve King (R-IA5). King gets a CHECKMARK for voting to support a New GI Bill -- and voting for the New GI Bill is good. However, look more carefully, and you'll see that the documentation actually says:

• A New GI Bill (2nd Vote) YEA 6/19/08 ... (good vote) ... but below it are two more votes
• A Second Rate GI Bill YEA 5/23/08 ... (bad vote) ... and continuing
• A New GI Bill (1st Vote) NEA 5/15/08 ... (bad vote).
  

So yup!! Caught in the act! What King did was try to stop (5/15) the good bill, i.e., the bill supported by IAVA and then he voted (5/23) to support a bill that had much weaker benefits for our vets. Finally, he faced the reality that the Senate had voted consistently to support the New GI Bill so he voted yes when the bill was going to pass in spite of his effort.

In contrast to King's opposition and later "pile on", Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) was consistent in his position, voting twice to support the New GI Bill and also acting as a co-sponsor.

A few notes of caution: Steve King stood with some pretty strong company since he supported both President Bush and Senator John McCain as they opposed the New GI Bill, and both Bush and McCain did all they could to make it a party line vote. However, a quick look at the states of Virginia and Pennsylvania show that some Members and also Senator Barack Obama really did put our soldiers first as they reached across party lines. See below for examples:

VIRGINIA
Voting Consistently YES! Senator John W. Warner (R-VA) and Senator James H. Webb (D-VA) ... each with four consistent votes for Webb's New GI Bill ... were joined by Virginia's three Democratic House members: Robert C. Scott (VA-3); Jim Moran (VA-8) and Rick Boucher (VA-9).

Hiding their vote as they voted NO and NO and finally along-for-the-ride yes! Robert Wittman (VA-1); Thelma Drake (VA-2); J. Randy Forbes (VA-4); Virgil H. Goode, Jr. (VA-5); Bob Goodlatte (VA-6); Eric Cantor (VA-7); Frank R. Wolf (VA-10), and; Tom Davis (VA-11).

PENNSYLVANIA
Votiing consistently YES! Senator's Arlen Specter (R) and Robert P. Casey (D) stood together for our veterans, too, and in the House, the IAVA website gives two Republican House members credit for doing what right, with Phil English (PA-3) and Jim Gerlach (PA-6) getting"A" ratings for their commitment to veterans. And Democrats Robert A. Brady (PA1), Jason Altmire (PA4), Joe Sestak (PA-7), Patrick J. Murphy (PA 8); Christopher P. Carney (PA-10), Allyson Y Schwartz (PA-13), and Tim Holden (PA-17) got it right, each receiving "A+" ratings from IAVA.

Hiding their vote as they voted NO and NO and finally along-for-the-ride yes! All other PA members split with their Senators and opposed the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans' much needed New GI Bill.

See for yourself (all states) at IAVA Report Card.

The Need for a New GI BIll

Although most of the talk this week is about the Farm Bill, there is news on other subjects, too. In this case, we think its pretty cool that the people of Virginia did our country a great favor when they elected Jim Webb (D-VA) to the U. S. Senate two years ago. Webb, a former Secretary of the Navy under President Reagan, is the junior Senator from Virginia and his bill -- the 21st Century GI Bill, is one to be treasured. An easy way to find it is to click on Webb's Senate web page.

See below for what various news sources are saying about it.

• "Michael's Mind" -- The Need for a New GI Bill, Houston Chronicle -- Texas
  
• Georgia Democrat's criticize McCain on GI Bill, -- Georgia
  
• GI Bill Is Long Overdue for Expansion, The News Tribune -- Washington (state)
• CBS' Smith: Senator Jim Webb "the least political person I know", Newsbusters
  

An excerpt from Webb's new book also appeared in Sunday's PARADE magazine. We found it worth reading and we hope you do, too.

http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2008/edition_05-18-2008/1What_It_Takes_To_Be_a_Leader?prnt=1

Webb and co-sponsor Senator Chuck Hagel's (R-NE) 21st Century GI Bill offers our sons and daughters who are soldiers in the ongoing Afghan War and Iraq occupation the same kind of educational benefits that our WWII and Korean War veterans got. Once again, it's another thing that Senator McCain and President Bush oppose.

McCain does have an alternative bill which -- no surprise here -- is supported by President Bush. Essentially, the difference is that the McCain/Bush bill sweetens the pot for keeping our GI's in the military but opposes benefits that might make it easier for our soldiers once they exit the military.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking and our soldiers have now fought in ongoing wars for longer than WW II. If you think our soldiers should get the same kind of benefits as they leave the military that our previous veterans did, we would suggest you let your representatives know.

Find your Representative.
Find your Senators.
Contact the White House.