<P> In August 1776, Congress adopted the first national pension law providing half pay for life for disabled veterans . Considerable pressure was applied to expand benefits to match the British system for serving soldiers and sailors but had little support from the colonial government until mass desertions at the Battle of Valley Forge that threatened the existence of the Continental Army led George Washington to become a strong advocate . Congress progressively passed legislation from 1788 covering pensions and bonuses, eventually extending eligibility to widows in 1836 . </P> <P> Before World War I, the soldiers' military service bonus (adjusted for rank) was land and money; a Continental Army private received 100 acres (40 ha) and $80.00 (2017: $1,968.51) at war's end, while a major general received 1,100 acres (450 ha). In 1855, Congress increased the land - grant minimum to 160 acres (65 ha), and reduced the eligibility requirements to fourteen days of military service or one battle; moreover, the bonus also applied to veterans of any Indian war . The provision of land eventually became a major political issue, particularly in Tennessee where almost 40% of arable land had been given to veterans as part of their bonus . By 1860, 73,500,000 acres (29,700,000 ha) had been issued and lack of available arable land led to the program's abandonment and replacement with a cash - only system . Breaking with tradition, the veterans of the Spanish--American War did not receive a bonus and after World War I, that became a political matter when they received only a $60 bonus . The American Legion, created in 1919, led a political movement for an additional bonus . </P> <P> On May 15, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge vetoed a bill granting bonuses to veterans of World War I, saying: "patriotism...bought and paid for is not patriotism ." Congress overrode his veto a few days later, enacting the World War Adjusted Compensation Act . Each veteran was to receive a dollar for each day of domestic service, up to a maximum of $500, and $1.25 for each day of overseas service, up to a maximum of $625 (2017: $8,903.62). Amounts of $50 or less were immediately paid . All other amounts were issued as Certificates of Service maturing in 20 years . </P> <P> There were 3,662,374 Adjusted Service Certificates issued, with a combined face value of $3.64 B (2017: $51.8 B). Congress established a trust fund to receive 20 annual payments of $112 million that, with interest, would finance the 1945 disbursement of the $3.638 billion for the veterans . Meanwhile, veterans could borrow up to 22.5% of the certificate's face value from the fund; but in 1931, because of the Great Depression, Congress increased the maximum value of such loans to 50% of the certificate's face value . Although there was congressional support for the immediate redemption of the military service certificates, Hoover and Republican congressmen opposed such action and reasoned that the government would have to increase taxes to cover the costs of the payout and so any potential economic recovery would be slowed . </P>

What did congress do to help pay for ww1