A Deal on New GI Bill Education Benefits

All parties have apparently agreed on a major improvement to GI Bill education benefits. Despite initial opposition from President Bush and Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a bipartisan bill spearheaded by Sen. Jim Webb, a Virginia Democrat, has been rolled into the Supplemental Appropriations Bill that was overwhelmingly passed by the House last week. It is expected to win approval in the Senate this week. Webb won the backing of Bush and McCain by adding a benefit that McCain had championed at the request of the Department of Defense—making it easier for GIs to transfer their education benefit to their spouses or kids. Background on this subject is available here.

—Kim Clark