WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined 20 of her Senate colleagues to introduce the bipartisan Military Spouse Hiring Act. Frequent relocations, deployments, and varied licensing requirements between states can make it difficult for military spouses to secure sustained employment. As a result, they face high rates of unemployment, and nearly two-thirds report feeling underemployed. The Military Spouse Hiring Act would incentivize businesses to hire military spouses by expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which offers a tax credit to businesses that hire members of targeted groups facing unique barriers to employment.
“Military spouses make tremendous sacrifices to help our armed forces succeed,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Their careers and financial stability should not be one of them. The Military Spouse Hiring Act would create employment opportunities for spouses while also breathing new life into local labor markets. I’m proud to be cosponsoring this important bipartisan bill and I’m committed to getting it passed for our service members and their families.”
The bill was introduced by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Boozman (R-AR) and is cosponsored by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rick Scott (R-FL), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Mark Warner (D-VA). Representative Don Beyer (D-VA-08) introduced companion legislation in the House.
The Air & Space Forces Association, Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), American Veterans, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, Blue Star Families, Commissioned Officers Association of the US Public Health Service (COA), Chief Warrant Officers Association of the US Coast Guard (CWOA), Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), Fleet Reserve Association, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV), Marine Corps League (MCL), Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America (MCA), Military Family Advisory Network, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Military Spouse Advocacy Network, National Military Family Association (NMFA), National Military Spouse Network, Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA), Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), The American Legion, The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (USA WOA), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Work Opportunity Tax Credit Coalition, and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) have endorsed this legislation.
The full text of the bill is available here.
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