Making Veterans Employment a Top Priority

As a veteran, I know firsthand the sacrifices members of our military make by defending our nation. We have a responsibility to ensure that our returning heroes have resources and opportunities when they arrive home. That’s why, in February, I joined the new, bipartisan Senate Veterans Jobs Caucus, chaired by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). We formed this caucus to focus on ways to decrease the unemployment rate of our nation’s 857,000 unemployed veterans, and we have committed to:

• Develop an “I Hire Veterans” Program that encourages veteran hiring within U.S. Senate offices.
• Hold monthly Member or staff-level events to share information on veterans employment initiatives.
• Monitor veterans employment issues by working with constituents, government and service organizations.
• Work with state, local and national employers on programs to hire veterans. 

I joined this caucus because I am committed to ensuring our nation’s service members are able to return to the civilian workforce and lead successful lives.

Strengthening Veterans Education Benefits

We have a moral imperative to ensure that those who have sacrificed for our country obtain the best education possible, one that will equip them with the skills they need to find a good job, repay their college loans, and go on to live productive lives. When I returned from Southeast Asia, the G.I. Bill made it possible for me to go to business school at the University of Delaware. Our vets returning home from across the world today deserve the same – if not better – opportunities I received almost 40 years ago. That’s why I introduced the Military and Veterans Education Protection Act. This legislation encourages all schools to provide high-quality educational opportunities to our service members and veterans, while ensuring that we get better results from taxpayer funded programs like the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill.