On the day after Veterans Day, it might be easy to skip over another blog about saying "Thank You" to those that have served. I'll admit, my eyes glaze over at times. Knowing that much is sincere, it is difficult to figure out when sometimes folks are just saying what must be said, when it needs to be said.
With many veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan to a difficult economy, Congressman Hodes is reminding businesses that this tax credit lowers taxes for businesses that employ a veteran. To help small businesses take advantage of tax credits and other available assistance, Congressman Hodes has also launched a new section of his website at www.hodes.house.gov/smallbusiness.
"Granite State veterans have served our country with honor overseas, only to return home to have trouble finding a job in this difficult economy," said Congressman Paul Hodes. "This tax credit is good for New Hampshire's small businesses, and will encourage small business owners to hire veterans and provide good jobs for working families. We must do all that we can to ensure that veterans have job opportunities when they return home to our communities."
Washington, DC - Today, the White House announced the launch of an initiative that is designed to transform the federal government into the model employer of America's veterans. ...The Initiative underscores to federal agencies the importance of recruiting and training veterans, aims to increase the employment of veterans within the Executive Branch, and helps recently hired veterans adjust to service in a civilian capacity.
"Honoring our sacred trust with America's veterans means doing all we can to help them find work when they come home so they never feel as if the American Dream they fought to defend is out of reach for them and their families," said President Obama. "But this initiative is about more than repaying our debt for their courageous service and selfless sacrifice. It's also about continuing to fill the ranks of federal employees with men and women who possess the skills, dedication, and sense of duty that Americans deserve from their public servants. And few embody those qualities like our nation's veterans."
The Executive Order creates an interagency Council on Veterans Employment that will advise the President and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management on the veterans' employment initiative. The Council will be chaired by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. OPM Director John Berry will serve as the Vice Chair and Chief Operating Officer of the Council.
That said, still more can be done. The federal government can strive to hire more veterans on, but another big step would be to simply enforce federal contracting requirements that state that private companies doing business with the federal government must set aside business for veterans. If P.L. 106-50 is enforced, which requires a set-aside goal of 3% government-wide procurement for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, that would be a big help.
VFW 2010 Priority Goal: Urge Congress to mandate that all federal agencies fulfill the 3% government-wide procurement goal for service disabled veteran owned small businesses and require agencies to report their procurement levels and be held accountable if they fail to meet the 3% goal.
I am looking forward to the day Senator Paul Hodes can continue the work he currently does as NH-2's Congressman.
.
