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WASHINGTON (June 15, 2009) -- The leader of the nation's largest veterans service organization says he strongly supports a proposal by U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX) to provide college scholarships for children of service members who have died while on active duty since 9/11.

Edwards has included a provision in the hotly debated 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill that would expand GI Bill benefits to children of fallen U.S. soldiers. Under the current GI bill, beneficiaries of educational funds must serve six years with an additional four year commitment in order to earn the right to transfer benefits to their dependents. Under the Edwards proposal, full benefits would be extended to each and every dependent child of a fallen service member with no minimum service requirement. Edwards has named the program the "Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship" to honor a father of three in his congressional district who was killed in action. An especially courageous explosive device disposal technician, Sergeant Fry was credited with saving numerous lives before sacrificing his own in Iraq.

"We echo Representative Edwards' sentiment that the children of our fallen heroes deserve not only our blessings, but a hand-up to the benefits of higher education," said David K. Rehbein, national commander of The American Legion. "This is an issue very dear to the Legion as evidenced by the existence of our own Legacy Scholarship Fund."

The American Legion's three-year-old scholarship program also provides college funds for children of fallen heroes. It is supported by voluntary fund raising efforts.

"Naturally, we enthusiastically support Congressman Edwards' provision to afford educational benefits to all who deserve them," Rehbein concluded.