K 797: Commemorating the 81st Anniversary of the Signing of GI Bill of Rights

 Assembly Resolution No. 797 BY: M. of A. Hyndman COMMEMORATING the 81st Anniversary of the Signing of "GI Bill of Rights" WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to celebrate the 81st Anniversary of the signing of the GI Bill of Rights; and WHEREAS, GI Bill Act of June 22, 1944 (Servicemen's Readjustment Act (GI Bill of Rights) put higher education within reach of millions of veterans of World War II and later military conflicts; and WHEREAS, The GI Bill of 1944 is called "one of the greatest pieces of legislation in American history"; and WHEREAS, The GI Bill of Rights or Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans as well as one-year of unemployment compensation; it also provided for returning veterans to buy homes and start businesses; and WHEREAS, The GI Bill is considered by some to be the last piece of New Deal legislation; however, the bill which President Franklin D. Roosevelt initially proposed was not as far reaching; the GI Bill was created to prevent a repeat of the Bonus March of 1931 and a relapse into the Great Depression after World War II ended; and WHEREAS, The American Legion is essentially responsible for many of the bill's provisions; the Legion managed to have the bill apply to all who served in the United States armed forces, including African-Americans and women; and WHEREAS, Many of the provisions were controversial; the GI Bill paid for the G.I.S entire education encouraged many universities across the country to expand enrollment; another provision was known as 52-20; this enabled former servicemembers to receive $20 once a week for 52 weeks a year while they were looking for work; under 20% of the money set aside of the 52-20 Club (as it was known) was given out; most returning servicemembers quickly found jobs or pursued higher education; and WHEREAS, Another provision allowed for low interest home loans for servicemembers which enabled millions of American families to move out of urban apartments and into suburban homes; now therefore be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 81st Anniversary of the "GI Bill of Rights of 1944"; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The American Legion.