Snowe Offers Amendments Aimed at Reducing Unemployment Among Recent Veterans

Press Release

U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) filed two amendments to the Veterans Job Corp Act (S. 3457) currently pending before the Senate. Specifically, the first amendment would continue Senator Snowe's efforts to streamline the process by which veterans obtain Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs) by eliminating a current-law hurdle that only allows them to obtain a license in their home state of record. Since many military personnel retain home states of record that differ from where they are actually stationed, it is difficult for them to apply training received at their military installation to getting a home-state CDL, a problem alleviated by this amendment. It is cosponsored by both Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Patty Murray (D-Washington), and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota).

Additionally, Senator Snowe has introduced an amendment to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop a program to promote the hiring of veterans by providing a bidding credit for the upcoming spectrum incentive auctions to companies that employ a certain percentage of veterans, as established by the agencies. She was joined by Senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska) in offering this proposal.

"As America's veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan face an unemployment rate of 10.9 percent, it is critical that we in Congress honor our sacred commitment to these brave men and women by helping make their transition to civilian life easier -- and that starts with finding a job," said Senator Snowe. "By providing a spectrum auction bidding credit to companies that employ veterans, we will encourage these firms to increase the number of skilled servicemembers on their payrolls.

"Additionally, it is unacceptable that so many veterans, especially those recently returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, have found themselves unable to successfully enter civilian professions for which they have already received world-class training. It is vital they receive our help to overcome the unique challenges and red tape preventing them from using their skills to contribute in the private sector, and my amendment continues the efforts I began with Senator Klobuchar as part of the highway bill earlier this year to streamline the process of obtaining CDLs for our nation's heroes."

BACKGROUND: Senators Snowe and Klobuchar previously introduced legislation in February to streamline the process for veterans seeking to obtain a Commercial Driver's License. Specifically, that language, a modified version of which was included as part of the highway bill that passed the Congress in July, required the Secretary of Transportation to convene a joint study with the Secretary of Defense, the states, and other stakeholders, to assess the barriers to obtaining a CDL faced by current service members and veterans with the proper training and driving experience to operate commercial vehicles. Upon completing the study, which is ongoing, the Secretary of Transportation must make recommendations for overcoming those barriers and implement any recommendations for which he has the authority. Senator Snowe's current amendment would remove one more barrier for veterans seeking to obtain a CDL.

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