Introduces Bill That Provides Transition Assistance To Returning Veterans

WASHINGTON D.C. - Congressman Charles Rangel introduced H.R. 2046 -Mandatory Transition Assistance Act today that would assist military personnel in successfully transitioning to civilian lives upon leaving active duty.

"Our veterans in many cases are not being adequately prepared for their return to civilian life and today's challenging job market,"  Congressman Rangel stated. "My bill will enhance the preparation of military personnel for civilian life by requiring that all separating soldiers and sailors undergo a battery of enhanced Transition Assistance Program counseling, which in the past had been voluntary."

Congressman Rangel's proposed legislation directs the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to make participation in Transition Assistance Programs (TAP)  mandatory for all military personnel before they are able to receive their discharge papers. The Secretaries would also be required to assign a counselor or a case worker to provide one-on-one service for each participant. Veterans would also be taught job acquisition skills including resume preparation, interview techniques, job search and salary negotiations.

According to the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for veterans younger than 24 was 14.1 percent in 2008, outpacing the general population's rate of 11.6 percent for the same age group. Returning veterans who do find jobs earn an average of $5,736 less a year than their civilian counterparts, according to the Veterans Administration. The disparity is even greater for veterans with college degrees: They earn $9,526 less than their civilian counterparts a year.

"Our veterans are the greatest asset we have," Rangel said. "America has lost over 6,000 lives fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan -- five of these fallen heroes are from my Upper Manhattan District. We owe it to our brave men and women who risk their lives every day in defense of our great nation to provide them with the necessary tools to succeed when they come home."

The Mandatory Transition Assistance Bill would Direct the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to offer mandatory assistance in:

• Instruction in resume preparation.

• Employment search techniques.

• Translation of military and other skill sets to civilian employment requirements.

• Employment interview techniques.

• And the Secretaries would assign a counselor or case worker to each member participating in the program established under this bill to evaluate the individual needs of the member and to ensure that the program is tailored to meet those needs.

Current statistics about veterans unemployment:

• As of today approximately 1 out of every 5 veterans under 25 is unemployed.

• According to the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for veterans younger than 24 was 14.1 percent in 2008, outpacing the general population's rate of 11.6 percent for the same age group.

• Young male veterans (those ages 18 to 24) who served after September 11, 2001 had an unemployment rate of 21.9 percent in 2010.

• Returning veterans who do find jobs earn an average of $5,736 less a year than their civilian counterparts, according to the Veterans Administration. The disparity is even greater for veterans with college degrees: They earn $9,526 less than their civilian counterparts a year.

• More than 15 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans were unemployed in January 2011, far higher than the national jobless rate and the highest since the government began collecting data on veterans in 2005.

• Gulf War-era II veterans were twice as likely to work in the public sector as were nonveterans—30 percent and 15 percent, respectively.