Washington, D.C.—Congressman Steve Buyer (IN-04) announced his 10th Hoosier Job Fair today in his home city of Monticello.  The announcement was made with Co-hosts State Senator Brandt Hershman and State Representative Don Lehe at Twin Lakes High School.  The job fair is set to take place on Tuesday, August 4, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  The Congressman’s past nine job fairs combined have offered over 17,700 jobs with a total of 770 businesses participating.

BIPARTISAN BILL INCREASES WIDOWS/WIDOWERS' BENEFITS

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Steve Buyer (IN-04), Ranking Member on the House Committee of Veterans’ Affairs, has introduced bipartisan legislation with Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN) that would increase benefits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays to widows and widowers whose spouses died while on active military duty or as the result of a service connected injury or illness.  The Surviving Spouses’ Benefit Improvement Act of 2009, H.R. 2243, would also eliminate an unjust offset between the VA benefit and a military benefit for survivors.

THE NEW POST 9/11 GI BILL;

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Steve Buyer (IN-04) announces to all servicemembers and veterans that the Department of Veterans Affairs is now accepting applications to receive benefits from the new Post 9/11 GI Bill.  The new Post 9/11 GI Bill includes a graduated benefit scale providing 40% of the maximum educational benefit to veterans who serve at least 90 days on active duty, and 100% for those who serve at least 36 months aggregate time on active duty—thereby incorporating Congressman Buyer’s proposal of three cumulative years of service.  

BUYER: ALL CITIZENS SHOULD BE AFFORDED EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Steve Buyer (IN-04) voted against the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 1913, yesterday in the House of Representatives.  Congressman Buyer opposed H.R. 1913 because of concerns that the measure could be unconstitutional, as the 14th Amendment already provides for the equal protection of every citizen under the law.  Additionally, the Congressman disagrees with the legislation that it would create protected groups and then treat the crimes against protected groups more seriously than crimes against citizens in the non-protected groups.

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