Walz Applauds Obama Administration on Vets Jobs Initiative

Press Release

Today, Congressman Walz released the following statement regarding President Obama's announcement of a new initiative to make sure soldiers can find jobs when they return:

"When the brave men and women who serve our nation in uniform leave to deploy overseas, they don't just leave behind their family and friends, often times they leave behind jobs and livelihoods as well. After the sacrifices they have made, making sure that they have access to a good paying job to support their families when they return is the least we can do. I am pleased the President is focusing on ways to ensure our soldiers can find jobs and are ready for careers when they return home."

This year, Walz introduced legislation to offer potential employers a $2,400 tax credit for hiring an unemployed veteran who was discharged from the military in the last 5 years regardless of employment status. It also requires DoD to educate and provide documentation to eligible servicemembers that can be attached to their resumes, empowering both veterans and employers to make use of this credit and put our veterans back to work. It will boost veteran employment by eliminating bureaucratic red tape, expanding eligibility, and empowering veterans to promote this credit -- and themselves -- to potential employers. Walz has been working for several years to find ways of ensuring returning soldiers have access to jobs, including introducing similar legislation last year.

Walz served 24 years in the National Guard and is the highest ranking enlisted soldier to ever serve in Congress. He is a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. He is also the co-chair of the bipartisan House Guard and Reserve Caucus.

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