McConnell: No jobs for vets.
In their short work week before heading out of town, Senate Republicans decided to give the finger to veterans, using a procedural vote to
kill the Veterans Jobs Corp Act, 58-40.
The Veterans Jobs Corp Act would have created new job-training programs to help veterans find work in targeted fields such as national park conservation, historic preservation projects, police work and firefighting, among others.
The unemployment rate for
Iraq, Afghanistan and Gulf War II-era Veterans—those who would have most benefitted from the bill—is now at 10.9 percent, but Republicans blocked this bill because they don't want anything that could remotely help anyone to happen under President Obama's watch.
That, and they don't really give a shit about veterans, much like Mitt Romney, who called the men and women fighting in Afghanistan items on a laundry list.
That's just how Republicans are.
1:34 PM PT: The White House responds:
No veteran who fought for our nation should have to fight for a job at home, but Republicans in Washington are blocking a common sense plan to create the Veterans Jobs Corps and put tens of thousands of veterans back to work.
Working with Democrats and Republicans in Congress, the Obama Administration has already made real progress to help veterans find jobs. We passed tax credits to encourage employers to hire veterans and released new tools to connect veterans with employers. And thanks to the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s Joining Forces Initiative, more than 2,000 businesses have hired or trained more than 125,000 veterans and military spouses in the past year. But we can do more and Senate Republicans should not block legislation that includes many of their ideas and stand between veterans and good jobs protecting and preserving America.
