The Vets Job Act

Senator Max Baucus has  introduced a new bill, to compliment his bipartisan Vets Jobs Act and continue his effort to address rising unemployment for veterans. Senator Baucus introduced the Hiring Heroes Act with Washington Senator Patty Murray, Senator Jon Tester and others, to help make veterans more marketable to civilian employers by requiring the military, veterans affairs and department of labor to work together to expand job training resources and make it easier for military certifications to apply in the civilian job market.  Baucus says the bill would also authorize a public-private partnership dedicated to assisting veterans looking for work.

 Baucus has been building bipartisan support for legislation to address veteran unemployment since first introducing the vets jobs act a year ago. Senator Jon Tester helped introduce the Hiring Heroes Act after hearing from a Montana veteran who cited his military experience as qualifications for civilian employment, but was rejected. Nathan Wien of Great Falls spent nearly five years as a U.S. army engineering officer. But his years of military experience technically did not count as relevant experience.  Tester says the new bill  would require the federal government to certify veterans’ employment skills.

 The legislation would require broad job skills training for all service members returning home.It would also allow the government to immediately hire veterans leaving service, so more service members have jobs waiting for them the day they leave military service.