F   ormer Congressman’s Leadership on Veteran’s Affairs Welcomed by Veteran Community

WASHINGTON (September 30, 2015) – Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation’s first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, supports the nomination of former Congressman Mike Michaud to Assistant Department of Labor Secretary for Veterans’ Employment and Training. Rep. Michaud’s longstanding commitment to veterans during his 12 years as a Congressman, three years of which he served as Ranking Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, is welcomed by this generation of veterans seeking to find the training and employment they deserve.

The Senate Committee on Veteran’s Affairs will hold the nomination of Michael Herman Michaud, of Maine, to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training on September 30, at 2:30 PM ET, in the Russell Senate Office Building, room 418.

Official letter of support from IAVA Founder and CEO Paul Rieckhoff follows:

The Honorable Lamar Alexander
Chairman
Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee
United States Senate

The Honorable Patty Murray
Ranking Member
Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee
United States Senate

Dear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray:

On behalf of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and our nearly 400,000 members, I offer my strong and unqualified support for the July 30 White House nomination of former Rep. Mike Michaud to be Assistant Department of Labor Secretary for Veterans’ Employment and Training.

As you know, Rep. Michaud served with distinction in Congress from 2003 to 2015, and was chosen to serve as Ranking Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee from 2012 until his recent retirement. IAVA worked closely with Ranking Member Michaud during his congressional career and leadership tenure and I always found him to be a strong voice for reform of the Department of Veterans Affairs during a critical time of extended wait times at the agency. I can personally attest to his commitment to our Nation’s veterans and that he is the right choice by President Obama to serve in the important role as the top veterans employment official in the Labor Department.

Again, I strongly endorse Rep. Michaud’s nomination and I encourage your Committee to quickly act to approve his nomination and to work toward his confirmation before the full Senate. Please contact me directly if you should have any questions about IAVA’s support for his nominations.

Sincerely,

Paul Rieckhoff
Founder and CEO
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America