Congressman Denham’s Veteran Skills to Jobs Act introduced in the Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday Congressman Denham’s Veteran Skills to Jobs Act was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).  The Veteran Skills to Jobs Act addresses the unacceptably high rate of veteran unemployment by directing the head of each federal department and agency to treat military training as sufficient to satisfy training or certification requirements for federal license, so that veterans can get back to work quickly. 

“I am pleased that Senators Nelson, Blumenthal, Snowe and Klobuchar have introduced the Veterans Skills to Jobs Act in the Senate.  Reducing veteran unemployment is not the concern of one party or one House of Congress and having a strong bipartisan group of Senators supporting this legislation moves us one step closer to enacting this bill into law,” said Congressman Jeff Denham.  “The federal government has invested in our servicemen and should do everything it can to ensure that they can put their skills to work,” he added.

“Veterans are returning home having already done one of the most difficult, dangerous jobs out there,” Sen. Nelson said.  “This is a way we can ease their transition back into civilian life, and remove some of the obstacles in their way.”  

Licensure and certification are the two primary types of credentialing. Federally issued occupational licenses cover many areas including the aerospace, communications and maritime sector.

“Matching qualified veterans with federal licenses which require their expertise is good for veterans, good for the economy and good for the country. The American Legion fully supports enacting the ‘Veteran Skills to Jobs Act,’ and applauds your leadership in addressing this critical issue facing our nation’s veterans and their families,” stated the National Commander of The American Legion. The American Legion’s full letter of support can be found here.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars also supports the Veterans Skills To Jobs Act and stated, “requiring that veterans be retrained and certified at the federal level is unacceptable and disrespectful to their training from the military. Often times, military training is substantially equivalent to the training they would be required to have for a federal license. This bill would streamline veterans to licensing and would be one step towards lowering unemployment.”