{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/bipartisan-bicameral-brown-tillis-proposal-to-help-disabled-veterans-find-long-term-employment-included-in-fiscal-year-2016-appropriations-bill", "Bipartisan Bicameral Brown-Tillis Proposal to Help Disabled Veterans Find Long-Term Employment Included in Fiscal Year 2016 Appropriations Bill", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "OH", "Sherrod Brown", "B000944", "www.brown.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities who Served after September 11, 2001 Have an Unemployment Rate of Nearly 18 Percent\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 18, 2015\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON D.C.  Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), as well as U.S. Reps. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY-18) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK-2)  theWounded Warrior Employment Improvement Act passed the Senate last month. Key portions of the bill were included as part of the Fiscal Year 2016 appropriations bill. Brown and Tillis, members of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, introduced the bill to help veterans with service-connected disabilities find and retain employment.\r\nVeterans injured while serving our country deserve assistance to build careers when they return home, said Brown. This provision would ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs can continue to provide wounded warriors with the support and training that reflects their exceptional service to our country.\r\nThe Wounded Warrior Employment Improvement Act would require the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to publish an action plan for improving the VAs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program (VR&E). The plan must include:\r\n \r\nSteps to remedy workload management at VA regional offices and to reduce the caseload per VR&E counselor, allowing more individualized attention for veterans;\r\n \r\n \r\nAnalysis of why so few veterans who have served post-September 11, 2001 have chosen to participate in VA rehabilitation programs compared to the rate of veterans who seek VA educational assistance;\r\n \r\n \r\nSteps to increase VA rehabilitation program participation for veterans serving post-September 11, 2001; and\r\n \r\n \r\nThe creation of a national staff training program for vocational rehabilitation counselors that covers post-traumatic stress disorder, mental health conditions, and traumatic brain injury.\r\n \r\nThe bill is endorsed by the Wounded Warrior Project, The American Legion, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). A one-pager can be foundhere.\r\n\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tPress Contact\n\t\t\t\t\tLauren Kulik/Tamika Turner  (202) 224-3978", 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": ["http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/bipartisan-bicameral-brown-tillis-proposal-to-help-disabled-veterans-find-long-term-employment-included-in-fiscal-year-2016-appropriations-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.337347086519003, "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"}