(Washin
gton, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray
(D-WA), Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee introduced major
legislation to help veterans struggling to find work and to address rising
unemployment among our nation’s heroes. Senator Murray’s bill, the Hiring
Heroes Act of 2011, is the first of its kind to require broad job skills
training for all service members returning home and comes at a time when
more than one in four veterans aged 20-24 are unemployed. In addition to
requiring that each separating service member attend a transition assistance
program, the bill will also create new direct federal hiring authority so that
more service members have jobs waiting for them the day they leave the
military, and will improve veteran mentorship programs in the working world.
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more about the bill | Watch the video
The bill was introduced today by Chairman Murray (D-WA)
and co-sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Max
Baucus (D-MT), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Barbara Boxer
(D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jon Tester (D-MT), Mark
Begich (D-AK), Robert Casey (D-PA), Scott Brown (R-MA), and Chris Coons (D-DE).
The bill is also supported by Veterans of Foreign Wars,
the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Military Officers Association
of America, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
“For too long we have invested billions of dollars in
training our young men and women in uniform with new skills to protect our
nation, only to pat them on the back after their service and push them out into
the job market alone,” said Chairman Murray. “This has
cost our nation and our veterans dearly. For the first time, this bill will
require that our service members get the training they need to translate the
skills they learned in the military into the working world. It will also
provide faster pathways to private sector and federal employment so our
veterans aren’t left in limbo after they leave the military.”
“It
is tragic our men and women in uniform come back from combat and find that some
federal and private sector employers do not appreciate, or question, how
veterans’ skill-sets and commitment translate to the workplace. I am proud to
add my name to a bill that gives veterans the skills they need to compete for
jobs, an opportunity for a non-competitive appointment to the federal civil service,
and enhanced vocational rehabilitation if they need it. Actions speak
louder than words, and I hope this bill empowers our men and women of action
with the skills and the support to hear the words ‘You’re hired,’” said Senator Murkowski, the
lead Republican co-sponsor of the bill.
“For
too many veterans, especially among those who have served in the Guard and
Reserves, the fight does not end when they return from the battlefield and take
off the uniform. For some, another ordeal is only beginning. This
new struggle is for a decent-paying job that puts food on the table and a roof
over the heads of these veterans and their families,” said Senator Leahy. “Vermonters understand how
much we owe it to those who defend us to make sure they are fully employed when
they return, so I am very proud to join Senator Murray in offering this
bill. I hope it passes quickly.”
“We have a responsibility to support our military
men and women not only by providing the resources they need to serve, but also
by making sure they have the tools they need to get good-paying jobs when that
service is over,” said Finance Committee Chairman and author of the
VETs Jobs bill, Max Baucus. “If a soldier serves our country
proudly as a medic, they are more than qualified to earn a living as an EMT
when that service is over. If a service member can drive sophisticated
equipment protecting our country overseas, they shouldn’t have to jump through
hoops to get a job as a truck driver here at home. And all of our troops should
have access to the job training they need, when they need it. This bill
is a straightforward solution that puts common sense into practice to help our
military service members get the good-paying jobs they deserve when their
service is over.”
“When troops return from often multiple tours of
duty abroad, the least we can do is help them find a decent job and land on
their feet so that they can support themselves and their families,” said Senator Jay Rockefeller,
who is the longest serving member on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
“It’s a sad truth that too many of our young vets are unable to find jobs
when they come home. This is something
that we can change, and this bill does that with smart investments in training
and hiring assistance. Veterans in West Virginia and across the country
chose to put this country above all else, and they deserve our unwavering
support both on and off the front lines.”
“Our
nation’s veterans are well trained, highly skilled, experienced, and
capable,” said
Senator Daniel K. Akaka. “The Hiring Heroes Act will provide
opportunities for those completing military service to get jobs in the federal
government, helping them to successfully transition to civilian life while
keeping their talent for the benefit of the American public. This is a
win-win for our veterans and the country.”
“This country is grateful for the courage and
dedication of our veterans, which continues long after they take off the
uniform. This bill provides these heroic men and women not just the job
assistance they deserve but a path for success in the future,” said
Senator Boxer.
“The nation has a commitment to our service
members and their families to help make sure their transition from military
service to the civilian workforce is both timely and successful,” said
Senator Bernie Sanders. “Meaningful employment is the key to
prevent many social and economic challenges we see some veterans facing
today.”
“Our veterans’ service to our country does not stop
when they leave the military. From leadership experience to technical and
scientific skills, veterans are key to our nation’s economic competitiveness.
We must honor our commitment to them and empower them to lead our nation in
civilian life as they did while in uniform,” said Senator Sherrod Brown.
“We have a responsibility to empower America’s
veterans with the tools they need to find good-paying jobs after they put their
lives on the line for our freedoms,” Senator Jon Tester, Montana’s
member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This legislation eases
the transition between military service and the civilian workforce, setting
Montana’s veterans up for success. They deserve no less.”
“When our veterans are returning from war zones, far
too many are having a difficult time finding a job, and that is unacceptable,”
said Senator Begich. “This legislation is designed to help our
service members find employment, get training, and be able to transition home
without the headache of a job search. They have some of the best skills any
employer could ask for and we need to do more to promote their success.”
“We
have an obligation to take care of our men and women in uniform not only when
they are fighting to keep our country safe, but also when they return home,” said Senator Brown, a member of
the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This bipartisan legislation reflects our
commitment to ensuring veterans have ample opportunities to find a job when
they decide to leave the military, and I am proud to be introducing it along
with my colleagues.”
“As we bring more and more of our troops home from
conflicts abroad to a country still recovering from this difficult recession,
it is more important than ever to equip our veterans with the resources
necessary to successfully reenter civilian life,” Senator Coons said.
“As they conclude their brave service to their country, we must make it a
priority to connect returning soldiers with job training and job opportunities.
It’s not enough for us to bring them home — it’s our duty and responsibility to
give them the tools and training to be as successful in civilian life as they
were while they were deployed.”
“This
legislation will go a long way toward meeting the transitional needs of
America’s heroes,”
said Peter Gaytan, Executive Director of the American Legion in Washington. “Many of our returning veterans
have been struggling to find adequate employment at home, and passing a bill
that provides them with job-training to help them back into the work force is
commendable.”
“A veteran’s successful reintegration into
society begins with employment,” said Veterans of Foreign Wars U.S.
Legislative Director Ray Kelley. “The VFW salutes Chairman
Murray for this legislation. It not only improves existing programs, it will
allow service members to quickly transition into civilian careers and ensures
that veterans who continue to struggle to find employment are given greater
access to the system that is in place to support them.”
“With high unemployment rate facing veterans returning
from Iraq and Afghanistan, Chairwomen Patty Murray’s legislation, ‘Hiring
Heroes Act of 2011,’ will greatly improve employment opportunities for these
veterans, especially disabled veterans,” said Dave Gorman, Executive
Director of The Disabled American Veterans. “With enhancements to
vocational rehabilitations programs, mandatory Transitional Assistance Programs,
and enhancement of credentialing and licensing programs, among others, this
bill will great improve the transition from the military into the civilian
workforce. The Disabled American Veterans supports this legislation.”
“MOAA
strongly supports this important legislation. In these challenging
economic times, there is no greater good than helping our Nation’s warriors,
who have given so much over the past decade, transition from military life to a
civilian career. MOAA thanks Chairman Murray and all the co-sponsors of
the “Hiring Heroes Act of 2011” for their continuing support of those men and
women who serve and have served our Nation,” said Vice Adm. Norb Ryan, Jr., USN-Ret,
President of Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).
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