Statement by the Press Secretary on War Funding Bill

President Bush understands that military families throughout our country are making great sacrifices as their loved ones serve at home and abroad. Throughout his Administration, he has been committed to ensuring that our service members and their families receive the highest level of support from our grateful Nation. After many of America's service members requested the ability to transfer unused GI education benefits to their family members, President Bush called on Congress in his 2008 State of the Union to fulfill their important request.

Throughout the past five months, President Bush and members of his Administration have worked hard to ensure that an expansion of GI benefits includes transferability. Yesterday, House leaders reached a bipartisan agreement on a supplemental war funding bill that would deliver critical support to our men and women in uniform. The President is pleased that Congress answered his call to ensure that military families will soon be able to transfer their unused education benefits to their spouse or children. This legislation will build upon the GI Bill's historic legacy of ensuring brighter futures for service members and their families. We urge both the House and Senate to immediately pass this bipartisan agreement.

President Bush also continues to call upon Congress to support his other initiatives which would strengthen support for our military families, including expanding access to childcare, creating new authorities to appoint qualified spouses into civil service jobs, and providing education opportunities and job training for military spouses. President Bush strongly believes that these additional measures will help further demonstrate America's strong appreciation for the sacrifices of America's service members and their families.