White House, New York Times Trade Blows on GI Bill

The weather’s not the only thing heating up this Memorial Day.

Bashed in Monday's New York Times editorial “Mr. Bush and the GI Bill”, the White House has returned fire saying the piece "could not be farther from the truth."

In “Mr. Bush and the GI Bill,” the paper attacked the President for failing the military with a “botched, unwinnable war” and failing them again by opposing a new G.I. Bill of Rights because he and John McCain “would prefer that college benefits for service members remain just mediocre enough that people in uniform are more likely to stay put.”

The White House then responded saying the editorial board was once again “expressing its vitriolic opinions - no matter how misleading they may be."

According to the White House statement, President Bush “specifically called upon Congress to answer service members' request that they be able to transfer their GI Bill benefits to their spouses and children.” Secretary Gates has also laid out guidelines requesting transferability as well as “greater rewards for continued military service in the all volunteer force,” the White House said.

For these reasons, the White House maintained, “the Department of Defense has specific concerns about legislation sponsored by Senator Webb because it lacks transferability and could negatively impact military retention.” Adding, there are many other proposals before the House and Senate and the President “specifically supports” one “proposed by Senators Graham, Burr, and McCain because it allows for the transferability of education benefits and calibrates an increase in education benefits to time in the service.”