By NEIL H. SIMON, Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON-A bill to expand education benefits to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - paid for by a tax increase on the wealthiest Americans - passed the House Thursday.
The next hurdle is the Senate, where Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., introduced the GI Bill. Debate on the measure has grown increasingly contentious.
"With this bill you can go to college and you can go full-time," said bill sponsor Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-3rd.
The House passed the bill 256 to 166, with conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats coming on board only after the GI bill was funded through what Democrats dubbed a "Patriots' Premium."
The premium increases an individual's taxes by a half-percent on all income above $500,000 and would generate an estimated $56 billion over ten years.
"Today's House vote places veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars one step closer to realizing the first-class future that they are due," Webb said in a statement.
Virginia's three Democrats voted for the measure. All Republicans from Virginia voted against it.
"That provision basically used our troops for the purposes of raising taxes," Rep. Eric Cantor, R-7th, said. "That tax hike will be a job killer for small business."
Veterans hailed the day as a victory, pointing to the GI bill's unanimous passage by the Senate Appropriations Committee as well.
"I think we're in the red zone now. We're within a week of passing a new GI bill," said Patrick Campbell of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "We need to renew that social contract to our veterans."
Wednesday the Senate voted 55 to 42 to kill the GI bill sponsored by Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona.
Their bill aims to retain service members by giving veterans a $2,000 per month educational benefit after 12 years of service.
The bipartisan GI bill from Sen. John Warner, R-Va., and Webb would cover tuition at any university up to the cost of in-state tuition at a public school in the same state. Veterans who serve three years would be eligible for the maximum benefit.
Senate debate has centered on how easily veterans can transfer their benefits to a spouse or child, a provision Graham and the Pentagon support.
Under a little-known law, armed service secretaries currently can approve benefit transfers for service members who have "critical military skills," have served six years and agree to serve four more.
Webb said Wednesday on the Senate floor that he was open to discussing transferability provisions for his bill.
In an interview, Warner said, "We'll work it out."
The next hurdle is the Senate, where Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., introduced the GI Bill. Debate on the measure has grown increasingly contentious.
"With this bill you can go to college and you can go full-time," said bill sponsor Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-3rd.
The House passed the bill 256 to 166, with conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats coming on board only after the GI bill was funded through what Democrats dubbed a "Patriots' Premium."
The premium increases an individual's taxes by a half-percent on all income above $500,000 and would generate an estimated $56 billion over ten years.
"Today's House vote places veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars one step closer to realizing the first-class future that they are due," Webb said in a statement.
Virginia's three Democrats voted for the measure. All Republicans from Virginia voted against it.
"That provision basically used our troops for the purposes of raising taxes," Rep. Eric Cantor, R-7th, said. "That tax hike will be a job killer for small business."
Veterans hailed the day as a victory, pointing to the GI bill's unanimous passage by the Senate Appropriations Committee as well.
"I think we're in the red zone now. We're within a week of passing a new GI bill," said Patrick Campbell of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "We need to renew that social contract to our veterans."
Wednesday the Senate voted 55 to 42 to kill the GI bill sponsored by Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona.
Their bill aims to retain service members by giving veterans a $2,000 per month educational benefit after 12 years of service.
The bipartisan GI bill from Sen. John Warner, R-Va., and Webb would cover tuition at any university up to the cost of in-state tuition at a public school in the same state. Veterans who serve three years would be eligible for the maximum benefit.
Senate debate has centered on how easily veterans can transfer their benefits to a spouse or child, a provision Graham and the Pentagon support.
Under a little-known law, armed service secretaries currently can approve benefit transfers for service members who have "critical military skills," have served six years and agree to serve four more.
Webb said Wednesday on the Senate floor that he was open to discussing transferability provisions for his bill.
In an interview, Warner said, "We'll work it out."