Sen. Baker working to support veterans through several proposed bills
"Those defending freedom heed the call of duty," Baker said in a news release. "We must be just as vigilant in supporting them."
Baker, who serves on the
Stolen Valor
But one local
"Falsely posing as a veteran or service member is an affront to all those who earn the right to wear the uniform," Baker said. "For whatever reason, there are people who lie about military service for personal gain. But thanks to the suggestion of an area veteran, these crimes can hopefully be used to aid genuine American heroes."
Baker helped to create the
There is a
Property taxes
Baker said disabled veterans incur a lot of costs as a result of their service.
"Disabled veterans should not be excluded because their military service falls outside of a certain time range," Baker said.
Another proposal, Senate Bill 390, would extend the program to the surviving spouse of a soldier killed in action. Current guidelines allow the benefit to be transferred only to a surviving spouse of a totally disabled veteran.
Unemployment
Military families sacrifice a lot for their loved one's service, Baker said. While
"Our military spouses face numerous challenges when relocating because of a transfer," Baker said. "With an unemployment rate four times higher than that of civilians, they are in need of the benefit while they are trying to find a new job."
Senate Bill 271 would clarify that a husband or wife's move to follow an active duty spouse would not be considered voluntary if it is determined that continued employment would be impractical or unreasonably difficult.
Custody and visitation
Because of the mobile nature of military service, Baker said child custody issues can be particularly difficult for military families. This can be compounded when parents live in different states.
In 2012, Baker helped change the law to make it easier for military parents to modify their custody arrangements before deploying. Senate Bill 511 would complement these efforts by providing more uniformity regarding the assignment of custody and visitation rights of deployed parents.
"Disagreements can impact both the child's welfare and the service member's ability to perform their duties," Baker said. "We should do all we can to ease the situation."
House passes Cartwright's
bill that protects veterans
The bipartisan Veterans Care Financial Protection Act (H.R. 3122) would direct the
"Scam artists are turning well-deserved benefits into a financial nightmare for those who can least afford it. This bipartisan, commonsense proposal will help protect veterans from financial scams. We owe this to our nation's heroes," Cartwright said in a news release.
The
Pa. wants to put more
vets in utility workforce
"
Brown noted that
The PUC, together with state agencies and utilities, is working to connect more veterans to employers, as well as encouraging more talented workers, of all ages and backgrounds, to consider careers in the utility sector -- which has a strong and growing demand for a new generation of employees.
Nationally, there are about 200,000 men and women transitioning from the military to civilian work every year -- which means there is a substantial group of skilled candidates looking for opportunities. Additionally, one of the top classifications for service members looking for work in the private sector is "Engineering, Science and Technical," which fits very well with some of the utility jobs that are in the highest demand.
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