Webb GI Bill Passes Senate

By Eric on May 22, 2008

Sen. Webb’s bill to increase education benefits for Iraq War vets, which passed in the House last week, was passed by the Senate today in a vote of 75-22.

Senate Republicans have broken with President Bush to help Democrats add help for veterans and the unemployed to a bill paying for another year of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The 75-22 vote also adds billions of dollars in other domestic funds such as heating subsidies for the poor and money for fighting wildfires to the $165 billion for the military operations overseas.

The vote is a rebuke to Bush, who has promised to veto the measure if it contains the domestic measures. However, the president still has enough GOP support to sustain a veto.

While both Senators Clinton and Obama were present to vote “yes” on the bill, John McCain decided that his time would be better spent elsewhere. (Others not voting were Sens. Coburn and Kennedy.)

Tags: GI Bill, Jim Webb, Senate

• You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Nobody has said anything yet. Why don't you?

Respond