Final Push Begins to Support Webb's New GI Bill (Updated)

Update: Speaker Pelosi issued a statement at a press conference in support of the bill earlier today. And up in Alaska, Matt Browner-Hamlin informs me that Mark Begich, who is running against Sen. "Series of Tubes" Stevens, also came out in strong support of the bill.
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Rumor has it that Sen. Jim Webb's new GI Bill is likely come up for a vote in the next two weeks as part of the Iraq War supplemental, and a number of organizations are running campaigns in support. Most recently, YDA's Veterans Caucus started a petition in support of the bill. You can join their action here.

For those who haven't been following this, the new GI Bill would provide the following:

• Make benefits available to all members of the military who have served on active duty since 9/11/2001, including activated reservists and National Guard.
• Provide benefits for tuition, housing, and books for up to 36 months of education for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
• Link amount of benefits to amount of time served on active duty.
• Increase amount of time after leaving active duty to collect educational assistance to fifteen years compared to ten.
• Allows additional payments for tutorial assistance as well as licensure and certification tests.
• Create a new program in which the government will agree to match, dollar for dollar, any voluntary additional contributions to veterans from institutions whose tuition is more expensive than the maximum assistance provided.

The bill is opposed by John McCain, who has put forth his own, weaker version that would primarily benefit career officers at the expense of the enlisted force. Vote Vets is currently running a campaign to pressure Sen. McCain into supporting the Webb bill.

I'll post more about the bill's progress as I get it.