From reducing the deficit to addressing gun control, Congress undoubtedly has a long list of issues to tackle, but helping veterans find employment opportunities is close to the top. Lawmakers got to work quickly on the initiative with the Senate introducing a bill that would make it easier for veterans to find civil service jobs, encourage employers to hire servicemembers as first responders and extend the availability of small business loans, reports Military Times.
The bill’s sponsor is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, but it has many other supporters. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, for instance, said that the bill is an important step in helping reduce the unemployment rate among post-9/11 vets, which currently stands higher than the 7.8 percent facing the civilian population.
“At a time when one in 10 post-9/11-era veterans are unemployed, this bill honors the sacrifice of the men and women who served in our Armed Forces by providing them with training to find jobs or helping them get their own small businesses off the ground,” said Sanders, chairman of Senate Armed Forces Committee.
Among the most significant provisions in the bill is one that helps strengthen employment and reemployment rights for veterans. Specifically, it would help identify employers who are violating the important law.