John McCain abandoned veterans today when he failed to show up for a vote on the bipartisan 21st Century GI Bill so that he could instead campaign to be their Commander-in-Chief.

"Anyone who wants the honor of being Commander-in-Chief should answer the question of what our troops deserve in thanks for their service," said Maria Weeg, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party. "John McCain's failure to show up for this vote tells me that he cares more about his own political ambitions than our brave men and women who's he's telling to fend for themselves."

The bill would give educational benefits to all post-9/11 service members who have served on active duty, including the 1.7 million men and women who have already served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senate and House both passed the legislation by wide margins, and both Democratic contenders for the presidency stopped their campaigns to vote. McCain has proposed a watered-down version of the bill that would provide fewer benefits and make it harder for veterans to pay the cost of university tuition.

"It is unconscionable that John McCain would not take a stand on the 21st Century GI Bill," Weeg said. "The men and women fighting for us abroad deserve our deepest thanks when they come home. One of the simplest things we can do for them is provide affordable tuition at places like Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona. As we honor our veterans this weekend, I suggest that John McCain thinks long and hard about how he just dishonored their service."

Veterans' groups for support the bipartisan bill is overwhelming, but opposing veterans groups is familiar territory for McCain. As Time reported this week, according to a nonpartisan study McCain has only voted for veterans funding 30 percent of the time. (time.com; 5/20/08)

Background:

McCain Gets Score of 30 Percent On Veterans Issues.  According to Time, "This is not the first time McCain, who has a proud history of opposing what he views as excessive government spending, has found himself at odds with his fellow veterans on legislation. He's voted for veterans funding bills only 30% of the time, according to a scorecard of roll-call votes put out by the nonpartisan Disabled Americans for America." (time.com; 5/20/08)

McCain Refused To Support Bipartisan Legislation To Reform GI Bill.  "On his campaign plane this afternoon, McCain said he and allies in the Senate are working on an alternative to the bill, but would only support something that included incentives to stay in the military.  'We are working on proposals of our own.  I'm a consistent supporter of educational benefits for the men and women of the military,' McCain said. 'I want to make sure that we have incentives for people to remain in the military as well as for people to join the military.'"  (ABC News, 4/14/2008)

McCain's Proposal Would Only Cover The Average Cost Of Tuition, Room, And Board, Leaving Some Vets Without Adequate Funding.  "For active-duty members, monthly GI Bill benefits would rise Oct. 1 to $1,500, up from the current $1,101, enough to cover the average cost of a four-year public college including room, board, tuition and fees, said Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittee." (Army Times, 4/22/08)

McCain Admits His Plan Is Designed To Keep Troops Serving Longer.  "My proposal and others, Senator Graham, Senator Burn, is we'll place incentives for people to stay in the military."  When O'Reilly said, "So the longer you stay, the more you get" McCain responded, "Yes, the more you get, because we want people to stay in. We have to increase the benefits for the men and women who are serving and motivate those to serve."  (Fox News Transcript, "The O'Reilly Factor," 5/8/08)

McCain Said He Wanted To Give Greatest Benefits To Those Who Serve Longest.  "What I want to of course reward the person stays in the military longer with greater incentives to stay in as opposed to someone who only staying a few years because I also want Americans to serve but I also want dedicated Americans to serve as long as possible." McCain also spoke about "incentivizing talented professional men and women to remain in the military and make it a career."  (CNN Live Feed, Town Hall (Rochester, MN), 5/7/08)

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