OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Mistreatment of Returning Soldiers

Floor Speech

Date: Oct. 4, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Military Personnel Education


MISTREATMENT OF RETURNING SOLDIERS -- (House of Representatives - October 04, 2007)

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my outrage and utter disgust regarding the treatment of some of our brave men and women who have just returned home from serving gallantly in Iraq.

Recently, members of the Minnesota National Guard, known as the Red Bulls, were told that they did not qualify to receive benefits under the GI Bill. Why? Because they were deployed for 729 days in Iraq and not the 730 days mandated by the GI Bill to receive benefits.

The fact that they would deny educational benefits to courageous veterans who risked their lives defending our freedoms, many of whom were deployed for 20 consecutive months, is shameful and appalling. Supporting our troops means taking care of them when they come home and providing them with the benefits they have earned and rightfully deserve.

Mr. Speaker, if I might invoke the words of Alexis de Tocqueville: ``America is great because America is good. And if America ever ceases to be good, it will cease to be great.''

Mr. Speaker, this action does not reflect the goodness of our great Nation.

END


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