Bush praises expanded GI benefits

WASHINGTON, June 20 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush praised the House of Representatives for passing an expansion of veterans' educational benefits.

The administration fought Democrats for months on the issue, arguing that the legislation would encourage short-term service when the military is stretched thin. The House, in a compromise, passed both the GI Bill and a war-spending measure Thursday without deadlines for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

"The bill also supports our military families by passing an expansion of the GI Bill that makes it easier for our troops to transfer unused education benefits to their spouses and their children," Bush said Friday. "I want to thank the members of Congress for their action on this legislation and I urge the Senate to pass it as soon as possible."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said that he is glad Bush recognized the need for more educational benefits.

"He has at long last heeded the call of a bipartisan, veto-proof majority of Congress and thousands of veterans to acknowledge that we must give today's troops a GI Bill as strong as the one enjoyed by veterans of wars past and as strong as the military itself," Reid said.