U.S. Congressman John Boozman 3rd District of Arkansas

House Seal Outline

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Washington, Nov 3 -

Legislation introduced by U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) that provides job training to unemployed veterans passed the House of Representatives Monday.

H.R. 1168 authorizes the U.S. Department of Labor to pay training assistance for veterans who have been unemployed for at least four months. The bill would provide a housing stipend ranging from $785 to over $2,800 per month for up to six months to veterans who are participating in a re-training program.  Boozman’s bill would also provide up to $5,000 in moving expenses for the veterans who complete the training to relocate to an area of the country that has existing jobs that demand their new skill.

“This is vital legislation to providing the tools, training and resources to our veterans to provide for their families in this economy. Job creation needs to be a priority. Passage of this legislation offers unemployed veterans who normally don’t qualify for job assistance and training programs the opportunity to participate and be eligible for well paying jobs in this changing economy and job market,” Boozman said.

According to September data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 990,000 veterans were out of work in September, the highest in decades. Of that number, nearly 600,000 were between the ages of 35 and 64, ages when few veterans have access to veteran’s education and training programs. Passage of this legislation allows the participation of unemployed veterans who would normally not qualify for retraining opportunities.

The House also unanimously passed Boozman’s bill, House Resolution 773, which honors U.S. WWII submarine veterans and the role they played in the Allied victory.

“This overdue recognition is well deserved. World War II submarine veterans served our country in an undersea fighting force and victory may not have been possible in the Pacific without their service, courage and sacrifice,” Boozman said.

Click on the links to watch Boozman’s remarks about the legislation on the House Floor on H.R. 1168 and H. Res. 773.