Chris Smith: “Mr. Speaker, if I could finally thank the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud) for his sponsorship of this resolution. It…”

“Mr. Speaker, if I could finally thank the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud) for his sponsorship of this resolution. It is very timely and extremely appropriate. I thank him for his work on the subcommittee and, of course, thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), our ranking member, for all of his cooperation. We do things in partnership, and it is greatly appreciated, and I think the veterans benefit from that kind of bipartisanship. The gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) made the point, and I think it was very well taken, about the great role the American Legion played in drafting this legislation. At the time, there was talk of maybe giving a $500 bonus to the returning GIs. Then out of the blue, pretty much, Harry Colmery, who was the American Legion National Commander in 1936, a World War I veteran, crafted, as the subcommittee chairman pointed out, on Mayflower stationery this fine concept and practically wrote the GI bill at the Mayflower Hotel. It was quickly grasped by Members of Congress and the President as an extraordinarily good idea, and it really did create the modern-day middle class.”