Brown-Sponsored Bills Pass Veterans' Affairs Committee

Press Release

Today, two pieces of bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) passed out the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and now will go before the full Senate for a vote.

"Our American heroes are serving with courage and skill in every corner of the world and I'm tremendously proud of their work," said Senator Brown. "I am committed to working across party lines to ensure that returning veterans receive every advantage we can provide when they come home from their service to our country. Hiring veterans is not only the right thing to do, it also makes good business sense for American companies. This legislation is designed to improve outreach to rural and underserved urban veterans and will provide a leg up for them as they rejoin civilian life."

About the Legislation:

The Homeless Veterans Support Act encourages the Veterans Administration to partner with local communities to tackle the unique challenges of homelessness among veterans. Specifically, it would help homeless veterans suffering from illness by strengthening an existing federal program that provides housing vouchers and services such as counseling and job training. It was introduced by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in February 2011, and Senator Brown was an original co-sponsor. Homelessness remains a serious problem among veterans of the United States armed services. The Veterans Administration estimates that there are more than 75,000 homeless veterans.

The Hiring Heroes Act of 2011 is aimed at improving job training for members of the military as they transition to civilian life. It would require service members to participate in the Transition Assistance Program, a program that includes valuable job-training education, before leaving the military. It was introduced by U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) in May 2011, and Senator Brown was an original co-sponsor. The unemployment rate among Guard and Reserve members is approximately double the national average.

Earlier this month, the Senate Armed Services Committee included a measure sponsored by Brown -- the "No Contracting With The Enemy Act" -- in the final version of the Committee-Reported National Defense Authorization Act. This bill would allow the U.S. military to nullify contracts with vendors who also do business with the Taliban.

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