Klobuchar, Enzi Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Job Opportunities for Veterans

Press Release

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Enzi (R-WY) today re-introduced bipartisan legislation to help increase job opportunities for returning veterans while reducing the shortage of much-needed emergency medical personnel in rural communities. With more than one in four U.S. veterans aged 20-24 without a job, the Veterans to Paramedics Transition Act would streamline civilian paramedic training for returning veterans who already have emergency medical experience as a result of their military service, making it easier for them to secure jobs as paramedics.

"Our young men and women in uniform are able to perform complex duties under extreme pressure and danger, and when they return home they should be able to use these battle-tested skills to secure a good job," Klobuchar said. "We have an abundance of returning veterans who have significant medical training and experience, and this legislation would make it easier for them to get jobs as paramedics and relieve the shortage of emergency medical personnel in rural communities."

"Helping our veterans turn the skills they learned in the military into a rewarding job not only honors our promise to take care of those who served their country, it helps guarantee all of our cities, towns and counties have the highest quality emergency medical personnel available," said Enzi.

Rural communities have long faced critical shortages in emergency medical personnel, threatening the safety of rural residents. Meanwhile, thousands of men and women in the military receive emergency medical training as part of their duties. For example, most Army combat medics are currently certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) at the basic level. When these veterans return to civilian life, however, their military-based medical training is often not counted toward training and certification as civilian paramedics. Many existing programs require all students to begin with an entry-level curriculum. For veterans, this means spending extra time and money for training that, in effect, they have already received.

Klobuchar and Enzi's legislation would accelerate and streamline the transition to civilian employment for returning veterans who already have emergency medical training. Specifically, the bill would authorize federal grants for universities, colleges, technical schools, and State EMS agencies to develop an appropriate curriculum to train these veterans and fast-track their eligibility for paramedic certification. A standard paramedic training program can take one to two years to complete.

This legislation has been endorsed by the American Ambulance Association, the Minnesota Ambulance Association, and the National Rural Health Association.

Source