Wyden Co-Sponsors "21st Century GI Bill"

Washington, D.C.  – Arguing that “soldiers who share the same foxhole for the same length of time should get the same benefit,” U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced his support today for the “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act” (S.22). Reintroduced late last week, the legislation commonly referred to as the “21st Century GI Bill” will provide service members who have served since September 11, 2001 with improved educational benefits similar to those provided to World War II-era veterans.  As Wyden noted the legislation will provide Oregon members of the National Guard and Reserves who have been deployed overseas with the same educational benefits enjoyed by active duty service members.

Forty-one Senators are co-sponsoring the legislation including the bill’s four lead co-sponsors: U.S. Senators Jim Webb (D-VA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Senator John Warner (R-VA).  

S.22 has been endorsed by the American Legion, the Military Officers’ Association of America (MOAA),  the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC).