Peters Tours Volunteers of America in Lansing

Press Release

U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today visited Volunteers of America (VOA) in Lansing, where he saw firsthand the work VOA is doing to support Michigan's homeless veterans. Peters also discussed his work on behalf of veterans and service members in the Senate, including a bill he cosponsored to improve mental health care and suicide prevention programs for veterans and bipartisan legislation he introduced to support small businesses that provide differential pay to reservists and National Guard members called up to serve on active duty.

Volunteers of America (VOA) Michigan is the largest provider of homeless services in the Greater Lansing area, and is the state's largest non-governmental provider of veteran services. VOA works to combat veteran homelessness through transitional housing, case management, employment help and direct assistance to help prevent very low-income veterans and their families from falling into homelessness.

"Our brave men and women in uniform have put their lives on the line to defend our nation, and we must do all we can to make sure we have their backs when they return home. America's veterans face unique challenges after serving in the military, and the work being done at the Volunteers of America in Lansing is critical to providing much-needed support as veterans transition to civilian life," said Senator Peters. "I'm committed to working with my colleagues in the Senate from both parties to ensure America is keeping the promises we've made to our service members, veterans and their families."

"We're grateful for the contributions of Senator Peters as a service member, and for his attention to these gaps in our country's responsibility to its veterans," said Patrick Patterson, Executive Vice President for Volunteers of America Michigan. "Volunteers of America believes it is important to indemnify the risk that is willingly taken on by those who serve on our behalf. We're gratified to see in this nation and across Michigan long-overdue progress on veteran issues, including a reduction in homelessness. However, much work remains to be done, and we're thankful for the attention being brought to these matters."

As a former Lt. Commander in the Navy Reserve, Senator Peters has been a strong voice in Congress for Michigan's veterans and service members. Peters cosponsored the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, bipartisan legislation that was signed into law by the President earlier this year. The new law increases access to mental health care by requiring a third party to evaluate the effectiveness of suicide programs at the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs and make recommendations on improvements. Additionally, the bill would create a peer support and community outreach pilot program to assist transitioning service members; create a new website with information on available mental health care resources; enhance collaboration among suicide prevention programs; extend the ability for certain combat veterans to enroll in the Veterans Health Administration for one year; and create a pilot loan repayment program for VA psychiatrists.

The legislation is named for Clay Hunt, a Marine veteran who committed suicide in March 2011 at the age of 28 after suffering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for many years and struggling with inadequate care at his local VA hospital before taking his own life

Earlier this month, Senator Peters also introduced the Military Reserve Small Business Jobs Act of 2015 with Republican Senator Joni Ernst (IA), a Lt. Colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard. This legislation would extend for five years a tax credit for small businesses that provide differential pay to military reservists and National Guard members called to serve on active duty. There are approximately 824,000 reservists and National Guard members in America, and 15,438 of them serve in units in Michigan.

"Reservists and National Guard members in Michigan and across the country stand ready to protect our country at any time and are a vital to our national security," Senator Peters said. "America's Reservists should not have to worry about the financial security of their families when they are called to serve our nation, and my bipartisan legislation supports both service members and the small businesses that do the patriotic thing by providing differential pay to their employees serving on active duty."

Originally enacted in 2008 as part of the bipartisan Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act (HEART Act), the employer wage credit provides a tax credit for 20% of the differential salary payment for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. For example, if an employee's pay at their small business employer is $3,000 per month but they make $2,000 while called up, an eligible small business would receive a $200 credit for paying them the $1,000 difference.

Source