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News from Rep. Stephanie Herseth
For Immediate Release
Contact: Russ Levsen, 202-226-4449

HERSETH INTRODUCES VETERANS REASSIGNMENT PROTECTION ACT

Bill Safeguards Veterans Preference Rights in Employment Decisions

July 26, 2006, Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth today introduced legislation to ensure that veterans' preference protections are maintained in federal government employment decisions. These protections, also called "bumping rights," exist to give employees who are United States veterans priority status when a government facility is closed or consolidated. Currently, a loophole allows federal agencies to circumvent these important protections by reassigning veterans to positions located far from their homes, without the benefits of bumping rights.

Herseth's Veterans Reassignment Protection Act would ensure and guarantee the application of veterans' preference rights to employees who are involuntarily reassigned in the course of reorganizations or transfers of function within the agency.

Herseth said, "United States veterans have earned priority status in employment decisions made by the federal government. Unfortunately, some federal agencies are abusing a loophole in the system by offering veterans a transfer to a position far from home, with no other option to continue their employment. Obviously, moving one's family hundreds or thousands of miles is not much of an option at all for many veterans. My legislation closes that loophole, and safeguards an important veterans benefit."

Herseth serves on the Veterans' Affairs Committee and is the Ranking Member, or highest ranking Democrat, on its Subcommittee for Economic Opportunity.

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