Senator Tammy Baldwin's office issued this press release last week:
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Contact:
Baldwin (202) 224–6225
Tillis (202) 224–6342
U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Thom Tillis Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Job Creation for America’s Veterans
The BRAVE Act creates incentives for businesses to employ our veterans
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Thom Tillis (R-NC)
introduced bipartisan legislation today that would support job creation
for America’s veterans, the
Boosting Rates of American Veterans Employment (BRAVE) Act.
“America’s
veterans have bravely served our nation and we have a shared
responsibility to make sure their service and sacrifice is honored,”
said Senator Baldwin. “The BRAVE Act is a bipartisan reform that
can help reduce the unemployment rate for veterans and create jobs for
them. I am proud to work across party lines with Senator Tillis and
reward businesses that are putting our veterans
to work.”
“I’m
proud to join Senator Baldwin to introduce bipartisan legislation that
supports businesses who employ and back our veterans,”
said Senator Tillis. “The men and women who served in our
military bring tremendous leadership capabilities and work ethic to the
private sector, and the BRAVE Act is a major win for both veterans and
employers who hire them.”
The BRAVE Act
is supported by The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW),
Military Order of the Purple Heart, The American Legion – Department of
Wisconsin and the VFW – Department of Wisconsin.
The
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) establishes long-term contracts
with private businesses for medical equipment, supplies, services and
more. Currently, the VA gives preference for these
contracts to veteran-owned small businesses, however it does not give
preference to businesses that actively employ veterans.
The BRAVE Act
would change that and allow the VA to consider the proportion of
veterans employed by a prospective contractor when awarding federal
contracts. The VA Secretary would have the authority to give preference
to businesses that employ veterans on a full-time
basis, and the VA would determine the preference for a business based
on their percentage of full-time veteran employees.
The
bipartisan legislation would also encourage and incentivize VA
contractors to employ veterans on a full-time basis. In addition, the
Baldwin-Tillis legislation provides oversight of VA contractors
and would allow for a 5-year debarment from contracting for those who
knowingly misrepresent their proportion of veteran employees.
The BRAVE Act
companion legislation (H.R. 974) led by Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY) and Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA) passed the House
of Representatives last night.
An online version of this press release is available
here.
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