05.22.08
Cornyn Lashes Out At Vets, Votes Agains GI Bill - UPDATED
Via BOR we get this story, Senator Cornyn’s office smears veterans for daring to ask him to support education benefits for troops.
Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan today expressed disappointment that Senator John Cornyn would belittle them and their service, because they asked him to vote in favor of a bi-partisan GI Bill for the 21st Century. That bill, offered by Senators Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel, would update the Montgomery GI Bill to keep education benefits for troops current with the cost of education.
In today’s edition of Roll Call, Cornyn’s spokesman responded to an ad launched by VoteVets.org calling on Cornyn to vote for a new GI Bill by saying, “The anti-war crowd is determined to use our men and women in uniform for their political advantage, even if our national security is jeopardized in the process.”
In response, Brandon Friedman, an Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran from Dallas, and Vice Chair of VoteVets.org said, “Senator Cornyn’s response to veterans is ignorant, insulting, and beneath his office. The GI Bill has nothing to do with the decision to go to war, or the course in Iraq, nor would it jeopardize security. The GI Bill was a sacred promise enacted by President Roosevelt, and all we are asking for is that America not default on that promise.”
Friedman added, “Further, to accuse veterans of using ourselves as a political football is pernicious and absurd. Apparently, veterans do not have the right to ask Senator Cornyn to do the right thing, or else we’ll be smeared. At least we now know what Senator Cornyn thinks of those of us who served this nation in combat.”
Today Cornyn was one of only 22 Senators (All Republicans) that voted againt the 21st Century GI Bill. We need a Senator, Rick Noriega, that will truly supports the troops, not just say he does.
[UPDATE]: Rick Noriega’s statement on the 21st Century GI Bill, Support for our Troops Shouldn’t End with Tour of Duty, Says Noriega:
U.S. Senate candidate and Texas State Representative Rick Noriega, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard, applauded the Senate passage of the bipartisan Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Act which would cover full in-state tuition at public universities for veterans.
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), however, failed to support the bipartisan GI bill that passed the House of Representatives and the Senate and is supported by most leading veterans organizations. Cornyn went a step further, urging President Bush to veto the expanded benefits for veterans.
“Senator Cornyn’s vote is an insult to our troops who have sacrificed so much to serve our country. Texas families deserve better,” said Rick Noriega. “Supporting our troops is about more than photo opportunities and speeches. Our brave men and women give their all on the battlefield and they deserve our full support when they return home. But today John Cornyn voted against a GI bill that would ensure our veterans receive the same sort of education benefit that their grandparents received after World War II. Worse yet, Cornyn urged President Bush to veto the benefits, which would rob a large and deserving group of veterans of the tools they need to succeed in civilian life after serving our nation.”
“In my ten years serving in the Texas State House I fought for our veterans and I will continue to fight to ensure our troops and veterans get the support they deserve in the U.S. Senate,” added Noriega.