Bipartisan Group Unveils GI Bill
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Updated: April 17, 2007
The Total Force GI Bill would consolidate the Active Duty and Selected Reserve MGIB programs under one authority by transferring them into the jurisdiction of the Veterans Affairs Committee and the Veterans Administration. The bill would also ensure that Selected Reserve MGIB benefits would rise in proportionality with Active Duty MGIB rate increases, and provide a 10-year portability for Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) benefits.
The legislation aims to better reflect a comprehensive "total force" concept that ensures members of the Selected Reserve receive educational benefits that match their increased service to the nation, lawmakers said.
U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and U.S. Representatives Vic Snyder (D-AR) John Boozman (R-AR) and Stephanie Herseth (D-SD), were joined at the announcement by the "Partnership for Veterans` Education," a coalition of military, veterans, and higher education groups who have endorsed the legislation.
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