IAVA calls for Trump’s position on GI Bill Cuts, reiterates call for all candidates to focus on IAVA Policy Agenda

Virginia Beach, Virginia (July 12, 2016) – Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the leading voice for the Post-9/11 generation of veterans, issued the following statement in response to remarks made by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that included a focus on veterans issues:

“IAVA was pleased to see Mr. Trump make time in his campaign schedule today to focus on veterans”, said Paul Rieckhoff, Founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “Support of our veterans should be a national priority and an issue that should always remain above partisan politics. IAVA does not endorse candidates and expects that both Mr. Trump and Secretary Clinton will listen to our members and present specific plans to support and empower the Post-9/11 generation of veterans.

“IAVA members call on Mr. Trump to specifically address every point articulated in IAVA’s detailed Policy Agenda, Rieckhoff continued.  “In particular, we call on him to focus on IAVA’s stated Top 4 priorities; defending the Post-9/11 GI Bill, supporting women veterans, tackling veterans suicide and reforming the VA.

“Unfortunately, missing from today’s comments was a definitive statement by Mr. Trump that he stands with veterans to defend the GI Bill by opposing dangerous cuts by Congress to our Post-9/11 GI Bill.  IAVA members have been waiting for months to hear from Mr. Trump on whether or not he supports these short-sighted cuts to our treasured earned education benefits. Today, he is still silent on this urgent issue, unlike every other remaining major candidates and dozens of elected officials from both parties.”

Background on IAVA’s #DefendTheGIBill campaign and the full list of supporters is at www.DefendTheGIBill.org.

According to the 7th Annual IAVA Member Survey, over 90% of IAVA members vote and are extremely diverse in their political affiliations. Like most of the 22 million veterans of all generations in America, IAVA members put country ahead of politics and are increasingly politically independent/unaffiliated.

IAVA members look forward to attending the Republican and Democratic conventions in the next few weeks to push both parties to make our veterans a priority.