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Legislative Dispatches   

Vet Unemployment Spikes in December As Civilian Rate Declines
Posted by Chandra Banks on January 6 2012

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released unemployment data this morning that showed that 13.1% of new veterans were unemployed in December, spiking up from 11.1% in November. These numbers mean that approximately 248,000 Iraq- and Afghanistan-era veterans were looking for work last month. December’s numbers bring the average unemployment rate for 2011 to 12.1%, making 2011 the fourth year in a row that the average annual unemployment rate has grown for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Bipartisan Vote, House Passes Vow to Hire Heroes Act
Posted by Tom Tarantino on November 16 2011

Today, Congress put politics aside and sent their first jobs bill to President Obama for his signature. VOW to Hire Heroes Act easily passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 422-0. We expect the President to sign this bill in to law as soon as possible, so that veterans can get back to work. See IAVA's statement here.IAVA's Statement

Senate passes VOW to Hire Heroes Act to Fight Veteran Unemployment
Posted by Tom Tarantino on November 10 2011

Today, the Senate passed what will likely be the first jobs bill to reach President Obama’s desk.  By a vote of 95-0 the VOW to Hire Heroes Act was passed and sent to the House of Representatives for a final vote.

Deadline: Veterans Day
Posted by Tom Tarantino on November 3 2011

In two weeks, to commemorate an historic Veterans Day (11/11/11), Americans will hear our leaders in Washington give many speeches honoring our nation’s veterans. But despite all the talk in DC about jobs this year, the Senate has yet to do anything to combat veteran unemployment, which has been consistently almost two percentage points higher than the national average in 2011.

A threat to the New GI Bill
Posted by Tom Tarantino on September 28 2011

I recently attended a briefing held by Senators Tom Harkin and Tom Carper from the Senate Health Education and Labor (HELP) Committee on a potentially serious threat to student veterans and their families.

Putting Our Confidence in OEF/OIF Veterans
Posted by Laura Smith on August 5 2011

The U.S. markets are plunging, the economy is slowing down and there are few signs of a recovery on the horizon. Amid fresh concerns of a double-dip recession, one population is suffering more than most in the job market: Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Update: The Debt Deal's Impact for Troops, Veterans and Military Families
Posted by Jonathan Schleifer on August 3 2011

Update 8/4 10:00 AM On Tuesday afternoon, the President signed into law a bipartisan deal to address the deficit and avert a default; however, the Pentagon could face $900 billion in cuts over the next 10 years as part of the agreement. IAVA will continue to track in the coming days on the impact these cuts might have for service members and military families.

IAVA Testifies on Lifetime Costs of War
Posted by Megan Hemler on July 29 2011

Following IAVA's meeting at the White House Tuesday afternoon on the impact of debt default on veterans and their families, IAVA Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff testifed before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Wednesday at a hearing on “Examining the Lifetime Costs of Supporting the Newest Generation of Veterans.” Ahead of large-scale troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, the hearing examined the long-term impact of the wars and how the public and private sectors can join forces to support new veterans from their initial transition home through the rest of their lives.

After IAVA Call to Action, VA Steps In to Amend New GI Bill Regulations
Posted by Tom Tarantino on July 25 2011

In response to today's pressure, IAVA has just received good news that the Department of Veterans Affairs has chimed in on the Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011 [H.R. 1383] after talks with the House Veterans Affairs Committee. According to the VA, it will now regulate HR 1383 (pending passage) so that the January 4, 2011 eligibility date will cover all student veterans attending school during the Winter/Spring terms of the 2010/2011 school year.

Ahead of Vote, IAVA Calls on House to Reinstate April 1st Inclusion Date for Grandfather Clause
Posted by Marco Reininger on July 25 2011

Update: We're hearing that HVAC will vote on the New GI Bill fix tonight - stay tuned for updates! In the interim, keep calling and emailing to urge Chairman Miller to amend H.R. 1383.

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Success Stories

IAVA has helped thousands of veterans. Here are some of their stories:

IAVA Unveils "Apps for Heroes" with Dr. Jill Biden, Code for America

On January 18th, IAVA Member Veterans from San Francisco helped unveil "Apps… 

IAVA Under the Lights at JETS vs. Patriots

On November 13, IAVA Member Veterans from New York and New Jersey were treated… 

IAVA Helps President Unveil Veterans Jobs Initiative

On August 5th, IAVA Member Veterans joined President Obama at the Navy Yard… 

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