Last month, congressional Dems and the Bush White House fought over whether to give U.S. troops a pay increase for 2008. Dems fought for a 3.5% raise, Bush insisted that was too generous. The “pro-military” president thought the troops could get by with less.

This month, congressional Dems and the Bush White House are at it again, this time over educational benefits for those who wear the uniform. Take a wild guess who wants to do more for the troops.

The Bush administration opposes a Democratic effort to restore full educational benefits for returning veterans, according to an official’s comments last week.

Senate Democrats, led by Virginia’s Jim Webb, want the government to pay every penny of veterans’ educational costs, from tuition at a public university to books, housing and a monthly stipend.

The G.I. Bill has been neglected in recent years, and with no lengthy wars with major troop deployments in decades, there’s been minimal political pressure to keep the education benefits at full-strength. As of now, veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan can expect the federal government to cover only 75% of their tuition costs.

Dems and veterans’ advocates believe that’s not enough. The Bush administration is unmoved. What a surprise.