The National Guard Employment Protection Act (H.R. 1879), which was cosponsored by Welch, would extend unemployment and reemployment rights to all those on full-time National Guard duty. Currently the Department of Defense cannot protect the jobs of all of those serving on Title 32 Duty, which includes border security, disaster response, and other homeland security missions. Since 9/11, an increasing number of Guardsmen serving under Title 32 are not entitled to certain benefits.

"Overseas and here at home, members of the military make countless sacrifices to ensure our safety and wellbeing," Welch said. "Upon their return, it is our duty to give them every opportunity to succeed. These common sense measures will protect the homes and jobs of our soldiers, and give a leg up to veterans struggling to get by in this economy."

The House also passed measures that would strengthen programs for homeless veterans, extend foreclosure protections for veterans immediately following deployment, increase the cost-of-living adjustment for veterans with service-connected disabilities and provide training to veterans for jobs in the energy sector.

The End Veteran Homelessness Act (H.R. 4810) would invest in veterans homelessness programs and strengthen permanent housing programs, while paying special attention to the needs of homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children.

The Helping Heroes Keep Their Homes Act (H.R. 3976) would extend expiring provisions that protect veteran homeowners from foreclosure immediately following deployment.

The Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act (H.R. 4667) would increase the compensation rates for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the dependency and indemnity compensation rates for the survivors of certain disabled veterans.

The Energy Jobs for Veterans Act (H.R. 4592) would create the Veterans Energy Related Employment Program to reimburse employers the cost of providing on-the-job training to veterans working in the energy sector.