Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus

“If you want to help a vet, hire a vet.”

Issues

Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus Members

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) was proud to join with his colleagues Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) and Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) to form the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus, a group that will work to decrease the unemployment rate of the nation’s 777,000 veterans (as of February 2012) who are currently looking for work. The caucus’s signature initiative is the “I Hire Veterans” program.

Unemployment is one of the biggest problems currently facing America’s veterans. In addition to our gratitude and support, our veterans need jobs. The “I Hire Veterans” initiative will serve as a sort of public awareness campaign.

Representatives Denham and Walz and Senators Manchin and Kirk – along with the 59 additional Democrats and Republicans who have joined the Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus – are asking their colleagues and private businesses small and large to make a personal and public commitment to hiring veterans by displaying the “I Hire Veterans” logo. Rep. Denham and the members of the Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus all proudly display the logo in their offices to signify that they are proud to make the commitment to having veterans or veterans family members on their staffs.

"Our service men and women risk their lives every day to protect our country and it's our duty as leaders in Washington to ensure that America keeps its promises to our Veterans," said Denham. "We all know the economic crisis facing our country and how hard it is to find work; the same is true for our Veterans. Many times the struggles of our service members are forgotten but we need to welcome these men and women home with open arms and empower them to use the skills they have to get jobs. I’m proud to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate on both sides of the aisle to uphold our commitment to our veterans, and we invite members of the public – especially business owners – to join us in this important mission."

“Our goal as a nation is to provide those who serve with the opportunity to achieve the American Dream; to utilize their skills, support their families, and have passion for their work,” said Walz. “Make no mistake about it, employing a veteran is not only morally right, it makes sense economically as well; veterans provide employers with a strong, skilled, and dedicated workforce. Put simply, veterans know how to get the job done. The veterans working in my office exemplify this every day and I’m proud to spearhead this bipartisan mission with my colleagues. I encourage all Americans to join us in this just cause."

The following Veteran Service Organizations have endorsed the Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus: American Veterans (AMVETS), Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA), Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Association of the United States Navy (AUSN), Fleet Reserve Association, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), National Association for Uniformed Services (NAUS), National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), National Military Family Association (NMFA), Navy League of the United States (NLUS), Non Commissioned Officers Association of the United States of America, and the Retired Enlisted Association (TREA).

Employers who have hired veterans are encouraged to download the "I Hire Veterans" logo and display it in their workplace. The logo is available below. An informational flier is also available for download below.