For Immediate Release
Date: Monday, November 7, 2011
Conyers Joins With President Obama To Promote Veterans Hiring
(WASHINGTON) — Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) joined President Barack Obama at the White House to promote the president’s proposals to aid unemployed veterans in finding jobs. As part of his American Jobs Act, President Obama is proposing tax credits for businesses who hire veterans who have been unemployed for six months or more. The president’s proposal also provides credits of $9,600 for companies that hire disabled veterans who have been unemployed for six months or more. The proposal is expected to receive a vote in the U.S. Senate later this week. Additionally, President Obama announced a number of executive actions to better help veterans transition into the civilian jobs market:
· Veteran Gold Card: Effective today, Post-9/11 veterans will be able download the Veteran Gold Card, which entitles them to enhanced services including six months of personalized case management, assessments and counseling, at the roughly 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers located across the country. This could help serve the more than 200,000 unemployed Post-9/11 veterans.
· My Next Move for Veterans: The Department of Labor will launch My Next Move for Veterans, a new online resource that allows veterans to enter their military occupation code and discover civilian occupations for which they are well qualified. The site will also include information about salaries, apprenticeships, and other related education and training programs.
· Creating a Veterans Job Bank: Starting Monday, the Administration will launch the Veterans Job Bank, at National Resource Directory, an easy to use tool to help veterans find job postings from companies looking to hire them. It already searches over 500,000 job postings and is growing. In a few easy steps, companies can make sure the job postings on their own websites are part of this Veterans Job Bank.
“It is very simple: our nation’s veterans risked their lives for us, now we must fight for them,” Conyers said. “I commend President Obama’s leadership, compassion, and his drive to help our nation’s veterans struggling to find work and provide for their families during one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression. Approximately 12 percent of our nation’s veterans who served in the military since 9/11 are unemployed, higher than the national average of 9 percent.
“There are many returning veterans struggling to translate their skills into the civilian workforce. Sadly, numerous veterans face discrimination by companies reluctant to hire them over mental health concerns or the fear that a veteran, many of who continue to serve in reserve forces, may be called back to active service.
“As a veteran, I understand the sacrifices our men and women in uniform make to serve the nation. And their service must be rewarded, not with empty rhetoric, but with tangible job opportunities that will help returning service members put food on the table, afford decent housing, ensure access to quality health care, and that will provide them the dignity and sense of purpose they deserve.
“That is why I urge my colleagues Congress to pass President Obama’s American Jobs Act now.”
Additionally, Representative Conyers will also join Representative Hansen Clarke (D-Mich.) in hosting a jobs fair for veterans at Historic Fort Wayne, 6325 W. Jefferson, Detroit, Michigan on Thursday, November 10, 2011. The event will connect veterans with companies looking to hire, as well as with information regarding affordable housing, and educational opportunities.
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