The O'Reilly Factor
Fox News Channel
February 7, 2008
O’REILLY: Tonight, we have a major announcement, and that is a new GI bill is needed in the country. And we will work hard to make that happen this year. "The Factor" has partnered up with Senator John Kerry in the Senate and Congressman Peter King in the House to forward legislation that will reward our fighting men and women when they leave the service……….So let's look out for the folks who are looking out for us, the military. "Talking Points" believes Congress will pass, and President Bush will sign a new GI bill. And we'll do everything we can to make that happen. And that is the memo. We'll hear from Peter King, John Kerry, and Colonel David Hunt on this a bit later on.
O'REILLY: Directly ahead, a new GI bill for the troops who are protecting us. Will Congress pass it? And then, will this man ever get justice? Joran Van Der Sloot on tape admitting Natalee Holloway died in his presence. The latest, moments away.
O'REILLY: .monitor any opposition to it. Joining us now from Boston, FOX News military analyst Colonel David Hunt. And from Capitol Hill, the aforementioned Congressman Peter King. So I just want to make everybody clear that this has been in motion, the new GI bill, has been in motion for a while. And both you and Senator Kerry, congressman, have been working on it. I'm not going to micro this. I don't even offer any suggestions to you guys about what you did -- should be in it, because I'm just not smart enough to know that. But I want it. I think the American people want it. It has to be done. And tell us where you are in the process?
REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: First of all, Bill, I agree with you completely. The GI bill of rights has to be brought into the 21st century. Someone who opposes the war or supports it -- I happen to support it. I've been to Iraq, been to Afghanistan. These men and women are doing a phenomenal job. And I have to say also, Senator Webb and Congressman Scott from Virginia. I've also been working on this. But I've been working with John Kerry's office. What we have to do is provide greater education benefits for returning GIs. We have to provide job training, housing. We have to also -- I also believe provide parity for National Guardsmen and reservists who are activated and serve in combat.
O'REILLY: OK.
KING: And particular.
O'REILLY: Well, you guys all get together. And I'm sure you'll work out a bill that is fair and balanced. And we don't want any pork in it. We don't want any bridges in it.
KING: Right.
O'REILLY: Or any of that. Just the military. Where is it in the process though? I'm going to bring you guys back once a month until it gets passed.
KING: Right.
O'REILLY: Where are we now?
KING: The bill is getting drafted. Obviously, I'll be coordinating with Senator Kerry. Our offices have been talking. I would say it will probably be ready to be introduced by the end of this month.
O'REILLY: Excellent.
KING: And the reason that, we're talking about really a massive overhaul. This bill runs probably more than 200 pages because it involves so much as far as education, as far as jobs or anything.
O'REILLY: Absolutely. So you think by the end of this month, it's going to be ready? Good work.
KING: We should have it ready by the end of the month, yes.
O'REILLY: And you can work with Kerry, right? I mean, he was on the other side, but we - you have to have bipartisan, particularly because the Democrats control the House and Senate.
KING: Bill, this should not be a partisan issue in any way. I'd be happy to work with John Kerry.
O'REILLY: Good.
KING: Senator Webb, Congressman Scott, anyone. This is important, especially someone like John Kerry, who is a decorated war veteran.
O'REILLY: All right. Now Colonel, you work with the veterans. And you know, what do they need in your opinion?
COL. DAVID HUNT, FOX NEWS MILITARY ANALYST: Well, first of all, congratulations I mean, to you and the congressmen and the senators. It's about damn time. I mean, this is the first time it's been done. I think it's the only way it could get done is with this kind of power between yourself and the politicians. They need some serious medical help. The congressman's right. Parity, that means the same amount of money for National Guardsmen in active duty. We need a lot more psychological and head trauma issues. We've got women's issues because of the amount of the amount of combat that women have been seeing. We need housing, caregiver issues. The fact that parents and spouses are spending their life savings to help these guys, who are getting their bodies blown apart and educational funding that guarantees these men and women will have the opportunity to go on and get further education.
O'REILLY: Right.
HUNT: .to get them back.
O'REILLY: The way I see it.
HUNT: It's got to be updated.
O'REILLY: There are about 2,200,000 active military now.
HUNT: Yes.
O'REILLY: .including the Guard and the Reserves. The way I see it is low cost loans to buy houses, like my father got to buy my Levittown Long Island house. Low cost loans to go to school. Sometimes the government picks that up entirely. Health benefits forever for family members and for the GIs. And basically, saying look, you put your lives on the line for us. And we're going to give you this, just like any corporation, you know, gives their greedy CEOs. The interesting thing about it is I think the only opposition, as John Kerry pointed out, Congressman, will be in the money area, because it will be expensive.
KING: Bill, it will be expensive. You know, we can page anything if we have to. And you know, we can't come up with money when we have to. We're doing it around the stimulus program. We do it all the time. And if there's any cause that we should do it on -- we do it for bridges and tunnels.
O'REILLY: Yes.
KING: .bridges that go nowhere. We should do it for these men and women. And you know, I also believe something else. I believe in the long run, it does pay for itself. I mean, I don't think you can put a dollar amount on what it meant to educate a whole generation of GIs after World War II. Not only did it help them, but what it did for the country.
O'REILLY: Absolutely. That makes them more productive.
HUNT: Right.
O'REILLY: And they're already shown that they're disciplined and patriotic. Colonel, do you think this will help recruiting? Do you think that - because we need to expand our armed forces since nobody else is helping us out. It's us against the jihadists almost alone. Do think that people -- if this passes, more people will sign up?
HUNT: Yes, it absolutely will. And one of the things that will help, if what they put in this bill, the ability to streamline the system. It's not just the money part. It's how hard it is for family and veterans, wounded or otherwise.
O'REILLY: Yes, cut the bureaucracy down.
HUNT: .to get access in the system.
O'REILLY: Right.
HUNT: It's stagnating. But absolutely, it will help. Anytime we do a concerted effort, and we ask for volunteers, the American people have stepped up whether it's in or out of uniform.
O'REILLY: All right.
HUNT: All we got to do is ask them. And this.
O'REILLY: Good, I'm glad you think it's going to help recruitment. Now Congressman King, I got to tell you one thing. You need to tell us if there's somebody blocking you, or somebody not doing the right thing, because Colonel Hunt and I are going to their house. We're going to show up. And nobody wants that. Nobody wants that. We saw what happened in New Hampshire.
KING: You two will be the first to find out.
O'REILLY: OK. And we'll see you in one month. And Senator Kerry, we hope, will be on the TV side at that time.
HUNT: Thanks for doing this.
O'REILLY: And - sure, listen, it's my privilege to do it.
HUNT: Thanks for doing this, both of you.
