MEDIA ADVISORY
Monday, April 19, 2010

Senators Murray, Klobuchar and Begich to Unveil Veterans Employment Bill on Capitol Hill; IAVA Participates

New Legislation Addresses High Rate of Unemployment among Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

WHO: Senator Patty Murray, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Mark Begich, Jason Hansman , Seattle, WA, OIF Veteran and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) Community Manager, and Joe Tryon, Arlington, VA, OIF Veteran and IAVA Member Veteran.

“I entered the job market after serving in Iraq, assuming I had an advantage with my eight years of Army experience and bachelor’s degree. I was wrong. I waited nearly 5 months for my first interview and, only after exhausting my savings, did my search end with a job,” said IAVA Community Manager Jason Hansman. “I am one of the lucky ones. Too many veterans continue to come up empty in their search for work. This new legislation will go a long way towards helping the thousands of veterans who are in the position I was.”

WHAT: A press conference to introduce the Veterans Employment Act of 2010, legislation to address the 14.7 % unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans. The bill includes a series of proposals that expand employment, training, skills transition, education, small business assistance programs and placement services for veterans.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 20th, 11:30AM EST

WHERE: Outdoor Press Event Area across from the East Capitol steps on the Senate side of the Capitol. Click here for a map.

For more information on the Veterans Employment Act of 2010 click here.

To arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA Community Manager Jason Hansman, IAVA Member Veteran Joe Tyron, or other member veterans impacted by unemployment, contact Chrissy Stevens, 917-836-1483, Chrissy@iava.org.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America ( www.IAVA.org ) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 180,000 veteran members and civilian supporters nationwide.

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