GI bill reintroduced in the House with 54 co-sponsors

GI bill reintroduced in the House with 54 co-sponsors

WASHINGTON - Virginia Sen. Jim Webb touted growing suport Thursday for his G.I. bill that would pay the college tuition of many military veterans who have served since Sept. 11, 2001.

House backers of the bill said they are hopeful of attaching the measure to a supplemental spending bill for the Iraq war that is coming up for a vote in coming weeks. Coupling of the two measures, if successful, could pave the way for speedier approval because of the necessity of funding the war.

But the Bush administration and Defense Department have raised concerns about the bill, which is expected to cost anywhere from $2.5 billion to $4 billion per year. Military officials have questioned whether the measure would hurt re-enlistment rates if troops leave the military earlier than planned to reap college benefits.

But bipartisan support for the measure appears to be growing in both the House and Senate.




Webb, a freshman Democrat, said his bill now has 54 co-sponsors, including 10 Republicans. That list includes Sen. John Warner, R-Va., an influential voice in military matters.

And in a new sign of strength, Webb said Thursday he has won the backing of the chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D- Hawaii. That committee has not yet acted on the bill.

"I think we have a very good shot at getting this bill done this year," Webb told reporters in a conference call.

"It needs to be done this year," he said, to help military personnel transition to civilian life.

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