GI Bill Vote in Senate within Next Few Days
All,
As of the events of last week, and the passage of the GI Bill through the house, I’ve come down to D.C. for a last minute, “emergency” lobbying trip. The GI Bill will be voted on within the next few days in the senate and we need your help. We have the near 60 votes required to override a veto (which the President has promised), but nothing is for sure. So far SVA has been extremely successful in advocating and garnering support from members of senate, such as with SVA’s Regional Director John Powers and the whole Northeastern region getting Senator’s Reed and Specter to sign on as cosponsors.
Is what we need is for you to contact your senators D.C. offices and if they are already cosponsoring the S.22 to thank them for their continued support of veterans and for them to vote for the S.22; and if they are not, tell them they need to vote for the S.22 and that this bill is the only veterans educational reform which will adequetely take care of vets when they return from war. Please ask your friends, family, and anyone you know willing to make a call to make it.
Here is the url to find the number to your senators D.C. office:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
You can also use the action center on www.newgibill.org to send a quick email. It literally takes less than a minute and can make a huge difference.
Also, use the following arguments to help in convincing the legislative aid you are speaking with, be sure when you call to ask to speak with the veterans legislative aid. The bill has bipartisan support, is supported by Collin Powell, as well as Tom Ridge (one of Senator McCain’s advisors). And is THE ONLY BILL THAT WILL PAY FOR YOUR (OR ANOTHER VETERANS) EDUCATION. If the people calling are vets make sure they tell him where and how many times they deployed, and how they feel this bill is an absolute necessity to your and other veterans futures. If you have any stories of difficulties with GI Bill be sure to share them as well.
Finally, if they are not sponsoring the bill let them know that after last weeks successes, it WILL pass and you would like to see them supporting the bill when it does.
Thanks again for all of your hardwork, and again please take a few minutes to make a phone call to your senator’s D.C. office, it really could make the difference. Hope to hear from you soon.
-Derek
Derek Blumke
President
Student Veterans of America
derek.blumke@studentveterans.org
Filed under: Press Release
