House Passes Rutherford's Veteran Transition Assistance Bill

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2326, the Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William "Bill" Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act, which improves resources for members of the Armed Forces to transition from warfighter to civilian. Included in this package is Congressman John Rutherford's (FL-04) Veterans Armed for Success Act, which was reintroduced in March with the support of fellow Northeast Florida Congressman Al Lawson (FL-05). This bipartisan legislation creates a grant matching program for organizations, such as Operation New Uniform in Jacksonville, that provide job readiness for veterans and their spouses. Eligible programs must display a commitment to ensuring our veterans have the skills they need to transition from military to civilian life. H.R. 2326 now heads to the Senate for consideration.

"Strengthening transition assistance programs for servicemen and women is key to preventing veteran suicide, homelessness, and unemployment," said Rutherford. "By passing legislation that includes the Veterans Armed for Success Act in an overwhelming and bipartisan fashion, the House renewed our commitment to taking care of our brave heroes when they return to the civilian world. I thank Congressman Lawson for his teamwork on this initiative and urge Senate Majority Leader McConnell to quickly consider this important bill."

"We must honor our brave men and women in uniform by providing them with access to the resources necessary to transition back to civilian life," said Lawson. "H.R. 2326 supports our veterans by providing grants for programs that train them in job readiness and help them launch their careers. Our veterans bring back real-world leadership and technical skills that strengthen our economy. I will continue to fight to create more opportunities for our nation's veterans."

H.R. 2326, the Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William "Bill" Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act:

· Expands and reassesses the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and other transition programs;

· Includes Rep. Rutherford's Veterans Armed for Success Act, which authorizes a five-year, $10 million pilot program that would provide matching grant funds to community providers that offer wraparound transition services to veterans and servicemembers transitioning to civilian life;

· Requires a one-year independent assessment of the TAP curriculum and requires a separate longitudinal study on the efficacy of TAP and long-term outcomes for veterans.

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