As a war veteran himself, Senator Lautenberg stands strong to take care of the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much to serve and protect our country. That’s why he coauthored legislation to reimburse military families who bought body armor and equipment for active duty relatives overseas on the frontlines in Iraq and Afghanistan. A new law he coauthored with Democrats and Republicans, the GI Bill for the 21st Century, will open the doors to college for thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Lautenberg law reimburses troops for body armor
Senator Lautenberg coauthored a law to require the Bush Administration to reimburse families who purchased body armor, weapons, and global positioning devices for their parents, spouses, sons, or daughters fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senator made clear that families should not be bearing the cost of making sure our servicemen and women have the equipment they need in a combat zone.

A GI Bill for the 21st Century
Senator Lautenberg teamed up with his colleagues and fellow veterans Jim Webb (D-VA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and John Warner (R-VA) to author the landmark GI Bill for the 21st Century, which became law this summer. This new GI Bill greatly improves the current Montgomery GI Bill by providing the cost of full tuition at a state university for veterans who have served since 9/11.

Lautenberg: Don’t raise cost of military and retirement health care
Stressing the importance of providing those who have served our country with quality healthcare at an affordable price, Senator Lautenberg – along with Republican colleague Senator Chuck Hagel – introduced wrote a law that blocks increases in prescription drug co-pays for military retirees proposed by the Bush Administration. For Senator Lautenberg, our soldiers and sailors have a duty to protect America, but we have a duty to provide for them when they return and retire.

Lautenberg fights for fair funding for veterans
As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Lautenberg is working to increase funding for veterans health care and benefits. As a veteran himself, he knows the pledge made by the government to former servicemen and women and he will make sure the government honors that pledge.