STAMFORD, CT (August 17, 2016) — Tomorrow, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) local member veterans and senior staff will meet with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), to urge him to stand with veterans to defend the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Since February, IAVA, the leading voice of the post-9/11 generation of veterans and its 425,000 members nationally have worked to to remove cuts to education benefits. This fight will continue when the Senate returns from recess next month. The proposed “Veterans First Act” currently includes $3.4 billion in cuts over the next five years, amounting to $91 per month for each veteran. Senator Blumenthal is the Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) and a co-sponsor of the Veterans First Act.

Since February 2016, IAVA members have sent over 31,729 letters to Congress asking representatives to oppose any cuts to the Post-9/11 GI Bill. IAVA staff and members have held meetings with 81 senate offices and lobbied over 80 percent of the Senate in the campaign to #DefendTheGIBill, gaining support from Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) along with several members of the House of Representatives. See a full list of Members of Congress in opposition to the cuts here.

IAVA local member veterans and national leadership will be available to media at the conclusion of the meeting.

WHAT: Veterans Meet with Ranking SVAC Ranking Member Blumenthal Urging Defense of the Post-9/11 GI Bill

WHO: Allison Jaslow, IAVA Chief of Staff, U.S. Army veteran
Anthony Pike, IAVA Chief Programs Officer, IAVA CT member veteran, U.S. Marine Corps veteran
Steve Kennedy, IAVA CT member veteran, U.S. Army veteran
Bruce Carney, IAVA CT member veteran, U.S. Army veteran
Josh Hubbard, IAVA CT member veteran, U.S. Army veteran

WHEN: Thursday, August 18, 2016, 10 a.m. ET

WHERE: Stamford Government Center
888 Washington Blvd
Stamford, CT 06901

The Post-9/11 GI Bill has been used by nearly one million veterans and their family members to accomplish educational goals and chart new career paths. IAVA continues to call on Congress to take a stand and pledge to #DefendTheGIBill and oppose any cuts to the benefits our veterans rely on.