A resolution expressing support for the designation of the week of June 16 through June 23, 2019, as "National GI Bill Commemoration Week" and celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944.

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 256 Expressing support for the designation of the week of June 16 through June 23, 2019, as ‘‘National GI Bill Commemoration Week’’ and cele- brating the 75th anniversary of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 20, 2019 Mr. CARPER (for himself, Mr. ISAKSON, and Mr. TESTER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of the week of June 16 through June 23, 2019, as ‘‘National GI Bill Com- memoration Week’’ and celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944. Whereas, on July 28, 1943, in seeking a solution to integrate returning members of the Armed Forces into civilian life, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for a comprehen- sive set of veterans benefits during a fireside chat saying, ‘‘While concentrating on military victory, we are not ne- glecting the planning of the things to come . . . . Among many other things we are, today, laying plans for the re- turn to civilian life of our gallant men and women in the Armed Services.’’; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Jun 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR256.IS SR256 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •SRES 256 IS Whereas, on June 22, 1944, in demonstration of the full sup- port of the United States for the transition of members of the Armed Forces to civilian life, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Servicemen’s Readjust- ment Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 284, chapter 268), more commonly known as the ‘‘G.I. Bill of Rights’’; Whereas the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 was the culmination of the tireless work and advocacy of veteran service organizations and Members of Congress; Whereas the Act made immediate financial support, trans- formative educational benefits, and home loan guarantees available to the 16,000,000 veterans who served in the Armed Forces during World War II; Whereas the Act helped approximately 7,800,000 veterans enroll in post-secondary education or training, helped to democratize higher education in the United States, and caused total post-secondary education enrollment to grow exponentially from 1,676,856 in 1945, with veterans ac- counting for 5.2 percent of total post-secondary education enrollment, to 2,338,226 in 1947, with veterans account- ing for 49.2 percent of the total; Whereas the Act contributed approximately 450,000 engi- neers, 240,000 accountants, 238,000 teachers, 91,000 scientists, 67,000 doctors, 122,000 dentists, 17,000 writ- ers and editors, and thousands of other professionals to the workforce of the United States and expanded the middle class more than at any other point in the history of the United States; Whereas the Act expressed the duty, responsibility, and de- sire of a grateful United States to see to it that those who served on active duty in the Armed Forces are af- VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Jun 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR256.IS SR256 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •SRES 256 IS forded every opportunity to become disciplined forces for prosperity and progress in the United States through economic opportunity and investment; Whereas Congress passed subsequent Acts to provide edu- cational assistance to new generations of veterans, includ- ing the Veterans’ Readjustment Benefits Act of 1966 (Public Law 89–358), the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Act of 1977 (title IV of Public Law 94–502), the Veterans’ Educational Assistance Act of 1984 (title VII of Public Law 98–525), the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (title V of Public Law 110–252), and the Harry W. Colmery Vet- erans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115–48); Whereas, since the signing of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, the Department of Veterans Affairs has paid approximately $400,000,000,000 in educational as- sistance to approximately 25,000,000 veterans and their loved ones who continue to excel academically in post-sec- ondary education; Whereas the Act created the Department of Veterans Affairs Home Loan Guarantee program, which, since 1944, has provided a pathway for approximately 24,000,000 vet- erans to purchase a home guaranteed by the Department, the majority of which are purchased with no down pay- ment; Whereas the Act improved health care opportunities for vet- erans by transferring medical facilities from the Army and the Navy and providing funding for hospitals of the Department of Veterans Affairs; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Jun 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR256.IS SR256 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •SRES 256 IS Whereas this combination of opportunities changed the social and economic fabric of the United States for the better, with a 1988 report from the Subcommittee on Education and Health of the Joint Economic Committee of Con- gress concluding that for every $1 the United States in- vested pursuant to the Act, $6.90 was returned in growth to the economy of the United States; Whereas 1,262 Members of Congress served in the Armed Forces on or after June 22, 1944, and, therefore, many Members of Congress directly benefitted from the enact- ment of the Act; Whereas June 22, 2019, is the 75th anniversary of the date on which President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Act into law; and Whereas the week of June 16 through June 23, 2019, is an appropriate week to designate as ‘‘National GI Bill Com- memoration Week’’: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) expresses support for the designation of the 2 week of June 16 through June 23, 2019, as ‘‘Na- 3 tional GI Bill Commemoration Week’’; 4 (2) honors the achievements of the Servicemen’s 5 Readjustment Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 284, chapter 6 268), more commonly known as the ‘‘G.I. Bill of 7 Rights’’, in democratizing higher education, increas- 8 ing home ownership, establishing greater citizenship 9 through economic empowerment, and empowering a 10 generation that would serve for decades to guide the 11 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Jun 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR256.IS SR256 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •SRES 256 IS transformation of the United States into a global 1 force for good; 2 (3) considers the veterans benefitting from the 3 Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 on the 75th 4 anniversary of its enactment— 5 (A) to be equal to the challenge of creating 6 a lasting prosperity for the United States as 7 their forebears; and 8 (B) to have the opportunity to become the 9 heirs to the Greatest Generation; 10 (4) affirms the responsibility of Congress to be 11 faithful stewards of educational assistance provided 12 under laws administered by the Secretary of Vet- 13 erans Affairs to ensure that such assistance endures 14 as an honorable investment of public dollars; and 15 (5) encourages all people of the United States 16 to celebrate June 22, 2019, as the 75th anniversary 17 of the signing of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act 18 of 1944 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 19 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Jun 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR256.IS SR256 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS