Jim Webb: “my first day in the Senate I introduced legislation that would provide educational benefits for those who have served in…”

“my first day in the Senate I introduced legislation that would provide educational benefits for those who have served in our military since 9/11 that would be the equivalent of the educational benefits that those who served in World War II received. We are very fond in this body and elsewhere in the U.S. Government of talking about those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan as being the new ``greatest generation.'' Well, it seems to me very logical that if we are going to use that rhetoric, we should be able to provide those who have served in this difficult time with the same educational benefits as those who served during World War II. I was very privileged, for 4 years, to serve as a committee counsel on the House Veterans' Committee at a different point in my life, and was able to study the benefits that had been provided to our veterans from the American Revolution forward. I also noticed an interesting phenomenon; and that was, a good part of the veterans' benefits package that was provided to those who served in World War II was done so because of the wisdom of those who had served in World War I--partially because they did not receive these sorts of benefits.”