The G.I. Bill of Rights for the 21st Century will increase the benefits our men and women in uniform receive today, and will provide long overdue benefits for the veterans and military retirees who have already served our great nation. This legislation essentially modernizes the current G.I. Bill, which has been in place since 1944 and was enacted to honor and assist our veterans of World War II. 

For military retirees and the families of those who died in the line of duty, the G.I. Bill of Rights repeals the Disabled Veterans Tax, and puts an end to the unfair Military Families Tax. This bill will also improve the timeliness and accuracy of benefit claims -- veterans with a service-related disability claim have a right to expect timeliness in resolving their appeals, and this is not happening today. 

Currently, more than 50,000 veterans are waiting six months or more to receive health care, and that problem will only get worse with the growing numbers of returning soldiers. The G.I. Bill of Rights for the 21st Century will speed up health care access for our veterans by increasing funding for VA health care. 

To help our soldiers become a productive part of a prosperous economy and help in recruiting new service members, this bill fully-funds college or job training for those who have served at least four years of active duty. It also provides full access to TRICARE -- the military health program - to National Guard Members, Reservists, and their families for a low fee. 

To date, more than 1 million brave men and women in uniform have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 1,500 service personnel have died in the line of duty, and another 12,000 have been wounded. There is no question our National Guard and Reserve personnel have made an unprecedented contribution in the effort - providing nearly half of the troops in Iraq. These new veterans have served our nation with honor and distinction, and now it is time for a grateful nation to honor that service. And there is no better way to honor them for their service than by supporting the G.I. Bill.