{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140512004109/http://bustos.house.gov:80/press-and-media/press-releases/congresswoman-cheri-bustos-leads-new-effort-to-put-our-veterans-back", "Congresswoman Cheri Bustos Leads New Effort To Put Our Veterans Back To Work", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Cheri Bustos", "B001286", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, with input from her recent \u201cStanding up for our Veterans\u201d tour across Illinois\u2019 17th District, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) spearheaded a new effort to create jobs for our nation\u2019s veterans.\u00a0 The Jobs for Heroes Act, introduced by Bustos, would not only extend, but also expand two expiring federal business tax credits designed to spur veteran employment.\u00a0 If Congress fails to act the federal tax credits will expire at the end of December.\n\u201cOur brave veterans deserve our full support and that starts with making sure they have access to good-paying jobs when they return home,\u201d said Congresswoman Cheri Bustos.\u00a0 \u201cThe unemployment rate for our veterans remains far too high.\u00a0 Democrats and Republicans should work together to renew and expand this job-creation tool that puts our veterans to work and provides our businesses with talented, skilled and dedicated workers.\u201d\nAfter hearing firsthand from our veterans last month about a variety of concerns, Bustos was urged to tackle the high unemployment rate among young veterans.\u00a0 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 have an unemployment rate of 20.4%, which is 5% higher than non-veterans of the same age range. \u00a0\n\u201cI\u2019m leading this new effort to help connect veterans to jobs and economic opportunity in their communities,\u201d Bustos continued. \u201cIt is common sense to not only extend these effective tax credits, but to provide additional incentives to businesses who are willing to be our partners in this effort.\u201d\nThe Jobs for Heroes Act would:\n Extend and expand the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to make the tax credit permanent and available to businesses, both small and large, that hire veterans, members of the National Guard, or Ready Reservists.\u00a0 Currently, the tax credit it only available to businesses that hire certain veterans with economic or physical difficulties.\n\t\t\u00a0\n\tExtend and expand the Employer Wage Credit (EWC) to make the tax credit permanent and available to all businesses, both large and small.\u00a0 Currently, this tax credit is only available to small businesses.\u00a0 When National Guard members or Reservists are called up to active duty, their civilian jobs and salaries are placed on hiatus and they begin receiving military pay.\u00a0 If their civilian salary was higher, the civilian employer might voluntarily provide differential pay to the individual to make up for this pay gap and in return, claim a tax credit of up to 20 percent of the difference. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n   \n\tThis past month, Bustos traveled Illinois\u2019 17th District as part of her \u201cStanding up for our Veterans\u201d tour to meet with local veterans to listen to their priorities and concerns.\u00a0 She also discussed her work to cut down on the growing VA claims backlog, put veterans to work in good-paying jobs, make sure education and job training programs remain affordable and accessible, and put an end to veterans\u2019 homelessness.\u00a0 Bustos kicked-off the tour in Pekin by holding a listening roundtable with local veterans, toured the Peoria Air National Guard Base, held veterans\u2019 homelessness roundtables in Rockford and Peoria, conducted a \u201cCheri on Shift\u201d at the Sterling VA Clinic, participated in the \u201cVeterans History Project\u201d by interviewing a WWII veteran in Galesburg, and spoke at several veterans recognition ceremonies throughout Veterans Day weekend.\u00a0\nDuring her tenure in Congress, Bustos has made our nation\u2019s veterans a top priority and has relentlessly fought to protect the benefits they\u2019ve earned and deserve.\u00a0 In August, Bustos joined with Republican Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08) to introduce a new bipartisan bill that would help put veterans back to work rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges, tunnels and rail lines.\u00a0 The Fairness to Veterans for Infrastructure Investment Act [H.R. 2906] continues Bustos\u2019 fight on behalf of our veterans by helping to ensure that they play a critical role in rebuilding our nation\u2019s infrastructure by providing them with access to existing contracting preferences authorized for transportation projects.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140512004109/http://bustos.house.gov:80/press-and-media/press-releases/congresswoman-cheri-bustos-leads-new-effort-to-put-our-veterans-back"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.090801950544119, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}