Honoring Our Veterans

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Dear Friend,

On Veterans Day, Americans pause to honor the men and women who have served our country around the world in the name of freedom and democracy. The debt that we owe to them is immeasurable.

I firmly believe that we have a duty to honor the commitments made to our soldiers long after their term of active duty expires. Our soldiers who fight on the battlefield should not have to fight for a job when they return home. With one-in-ten returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan unemployed and looking for work, we have an obligation to make sure our veterans have the necessary tools to succeed in the civilian workforce.

That's why I was proud to support legislation which aimed to expand job opportunities for our veterans through tax credits for businesses that hire service members. The VOW to Hire Heroes Act includes additional provisions to boost hiring for veterans and provide them with the training they need to find a job in civilian life. With this law, America can welcome our servicemen and women back into their communities as entrepreneurs, small business owners, and workers.

But there is more to do. As Congress returns, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that returning service members have access to affordable housing and comprehensive health care services, and are able to apply their expertise to well-paying civilian jobs.

Now, more than ever, we renew our commitment to keep our promises to the nation's more than 25 million troops and veterans, including more than 37,000 here in the 6th District. Let us also honor the memory of the more than 4,400 American servicemen and women who have died in Iraq and more than 2,100 who have died in Afghanistan.

As always, if I can be of assistance, please feel free to contact me or my Peabody office at (978) 531-1669.

Sincerely,

John F. Tierney

Member of Congress