As Veterans Day Approaches, Heinrich Continues Fight to Create Jobs for Veterans
Press Release
With one-in-five veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 returning from Iraq and Afghanistan looking for work, U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich (NM-1) is focused on making sure our veterans have the necessary tools to navigate a difficult labor market and succeed in the civilian workforce.
As part of this initiative, Rep. Heinrich introduced H.R. 3384, the Wounded Warriors Employment Opportunity Act, to provide a tax credit to employers that hire service-disabled veterans.Specifically, H.R. 3384 provides employers with a 40 percent tax credit on the first $24,000 (up to $9,600) of wages for a veteran with a service-connected disability who has been unemployed for at least six months.
"Our troops develop valuable skills and professionalism while in the armed forces, yet they still face difficulty when applying for jobs in the civilian workforce. This is especially true for our wounded warriors," said Rep. Heinrich. "As more and more troops come home and transition into civilian life, it is our duty as a nation to honor their sacrifices and help them find jobs."
Additionally, Rep. Heinrich joined his colleague U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján last week in introducing H.R. 3355, the Heroes Hiring Heroes Act, to provide similar tax credits, including up to $5,600 for hiring unemployed veterans who have been looking for a job for more than six months. The bill also creates a federal grant program to provide states with funding for job training and job placement programs that assist veterans.
Earlier this year, Rep. Heinrich introduced H.R. 924, the Jobs for Veterans Act of 2011, which would provide entrepreneurial training, counseling, and procurement assistance to veteran-owned small businesses. Rep. Heinrich also successfully passed an amendment to the fiscal year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act that would provide $15 million for a pilot program to allow non-profit organizations to engage Wounded Warriors early in their recovery.
"When our troops return home from deployment, we owe it to them to provide the best available training and opportunities," said Rep. Heinrich. "Our nation's veterans serve honorably and deserve our support when they try to start or grow small businesses."
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