Veterans of the Iraq (web|news) war and the war in Afghanistan rallied for a new GI bill in Washington Tuesday afternoon.

Members of Congress joined the veterans on Capitol Hill to call immediate action on the "Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act."

The proposed legislation is aimed to provide greater education benefits for those who have served honorably since the beginning of the war.

Emmanuel Leach served with the D.C. National Guard in Iraq, but is getting no help now with his college education.

"It's always been an uphill battle and struggle," said Leach.

He and other student veterans joined lawmakers to rally for a new GI bill that would boost education funding for post 9/11 veterans.

"A meaningful chance for a first-class future. It's a future that is equal to the first-class service that they have already given our country," said Sen. Jim Web, D-Va.

The original GI bill provided World War II vets with full tuition, housing and living expenses, but today's vets--under a much scaled-back peacetime bill--get only a fraction of that.

Todd Bowers of Fairfax had to drop out of college saying, "It hardly covered one semester."

They fought for their country, supporters say, and they shouldn't have to fight for their education.

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