Black World War II veterans and their descendants have yet to receive their overdue G.I. Bill benefits; however, some House Democrats hope to change that.
On Feb. 28, House Reps. James Clyburn (D-SC) and Seth Moulton (D-MA) re-introduced the Sgt. Issac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox G.I. Bill Restoration Act in an effort to seek justice for veterans and their descendants who are owed numerous benefits.
Richard Brookshire, co-founder and CEO of the Black Veterans Project, told theGrio that the G.I. bill might have to overcome some challenges before being signed into law.
“I honestly feel like the G.I. Bill Restoration Act is fantastic, but I also know the political feasibility of that is very slim,” he stated.
He continued, “In most respects because of the cost and then because there seems to be some level of disagreement about whether or not passing a piece of targeted racial policy like that would withstand judicial review.”
In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill into law to assist qualifying veterans and their family members with paying for higher education, training programs and other benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs website. Yet, many Black veterans did not receive any benefits after putting their life on the line for the United States.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), who recently spoke with theGrio, called it a “disgrace.”
“These Black veterans who served their country, who died, whose families are still trying to recoup and they can’t even get the benefits from what they deserved only because they were Black….it’s a shame and disgrace,” said Lee, who is running for U.S. Senate in California in the 2024 election.
This latest measure was named after veterans Woodard and Maddox to honor the two Black sergeants who faced discrimination in the U.S. after serving in World War II.
On Feb. 12, 1946, just hours…
Read the full article here
