Which 1944 U.S. law is the original GI Bill associated with veterans’ education and home loans?

The original GI Bill was the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944.

Congress passed the law during World War II to help returning veterans readjust to civilian life. Its benefits included education funding, unemployment assistance, and federally supported home and farm loans. The law greatly expanded access to college and homeownership for many veterans.

The act is often called the GI Bill of Rights. “GI” referred to enlisted American service members, and the bill became one of the most influential veterans’ programs in U.S. history. It also contributed to the growth of the postwar middle class.

The 1944 act should not be confused with later programs carrying the GI Bill name. The Montgomery GI Bill and Post-9/11 GI Bill are separate laws and benefit systems that followed decades later.