Dems derail McCain bill to boost veterans' college aid
May 14, 2008
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All Associated Press newsWASHINGTON (AP) -
Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked a bill by John McCain that would have increased college aid for military veterans because they said it didn't go far enough and would serve only as political cover for the GOP presidential candidate.
Republicans offered McCain's bill as an amendment to legislation that would give police officers, firefighters and other first responders the right to unionize. The Senate voted 55-42 to kill the amendment.
McCain, R-Ariz., was on the campaign trail and not present for the vote.
"This vote is a message to Bush-McCain Republicans that the U.S. Senate will not stand for political games at the expense of our nation's first responders and veterans," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
McCain proposed his GI bill after Democrats pitched a more ambitious plan that would essentially guarantee a full scholarship to any public, in-state university after serving in the military for three years. Democrats are pushing their proposal, introduced by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., as part of this year's war spending bill.
The Pentagon opposes Webb's bill because it says in part that providing such a large benefit after only three years of service would hurt retention.
Accordingly, Sens. McCain, Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Burr, R-N.C., drafted an alternative that would increase to $1,500 from $1,100 the monthly benefit available to most veterans. The stipend would increase to $2,000 a month after 12 years of service.
Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin said the Republican maneuvering on Wednesday was intended to protect McCain from any political fallout from opposing Webb's GI bill.
"He said it's too generous to give the same benefits to today's warriors returning from conflict that we gave to those returning from World War II," said Durbin, D-Ill. "I think that's a very difficult position to defend."
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