Letter to John Boehner, Nancy Pelosi, Eric Cantor and Steny Hoyer
Letter
Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today wrote to a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders urging them to immediately bring the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors Tax Credit up for a vote in the US House of Representatives. The US Senate unanimously passed the bill last week in advance of Veterans Day. The legislation would create new tax credit programs to spur the hiring of unemployed veterans and directly help hundreds of Iowa National Guard members who have returned home from overseas deployments. The bill is similar in nature to legislation introduced by Braley in August.
"Our obligation to our veterans doesn't go away just because Veterans Day has come and gone," Braley said. "Unemployment among returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is three times the national average. That's not acceptable. We need to take immediate action to spur job growth for veterans.
"The Combat Veterans Back to Work Act will boost the hiring of veterans, improve resources available for vets to translate their military skills into the civilian workforce, and provide veterans with new tools to help their search for a job. Unemployed veterans can't afford to wait. That's why I'm urging Congressional leaders to bring the bill up for a vote immediately."
In August, 3,500 members of the Iowa National Guard returned from a deployment to Afghanistan. More than 600 of these men and women reported being out of work when they returned home -- equivalent to an unemployment rate of over 17 percent. Iowa's unemployment rate in September was 6.0 percent; the national unemployment rate last month was 9.0 percent.
In response to high rates of veterans unemployment, Braley introduced the Combat Veterans Back to Work Act, a bill that exempts a business from paying their share of an employee's Social Security taxes for one year when they hire a current member of the National Guard or Reserve or any unemployed veteran who has returned from deployment within the last 18 months.
The Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors Tax Credit includes similar provisions. The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars have all endorsed the bill. The Senate passed the bill unanimously last week, but the House has not yet scheduled the bill for a vote despite the potential for broad, bipartisan agreement.
Braley is the highest ranking Democrat on the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
The text of the letter is below; a copy of Braley's letter can be downloaded at the following link: http://go.usa.gov/IIc
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November 15, 2011
Speaker John Boehner
H232, U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
H204, U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515
Majority Leader Eric Cantor
H329, U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515
Minority Whip Steny Hoyer
H148, U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Speaker Boehner, Leader Cantor, Leader Pelosi and Minority Whip Hoyer,
I urge you to take quick action in bringing the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors Tax Credit to the floor for a vote. As you may know, the Senate passed H.R. 674 with amendments last week, including the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors Tax Credit to expand servicemembers job retraining programs and provide tax credits to companies that hire unemployed veterans.
Our service men and women put their lives on the line for our country. They shouldn't have to fight for a job when they come home. The Senate's bipartisan action on this important issue is necessary and timely. Unemployment among our nation's veterans is far outpacing the national unemployment levels, and Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in particular face an unemployment rate that is three times the national average. 3,500 Iowa National Guardsmen returned from an eight month deployment to Afghanistan in August and close to 600 of them are now unemployed and seeking work. That's unacceptable.
The Senate's bill will increase the hiring of veterans, improve resources for vets to translate their military skills into the civilian workforce, and provide veterans with new tools to help their search for a job. The legislation includes language similar to my Combat Veterans Back to Work Act which I introduced earlier this year to encourage the hiring of our nation's veterans.
We have a responsibility to support our veterans, and work to address the unemployment challenges they face. I urge Congress to act immediately to pass the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warriors Tax Credit, because our veterans can't afford to wait.
Sincerely,
/s/ Bruce Braley
Member of Congress
Source