Obama unveils new initiatives to help veterans get jobs

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　　"We're here today to try to take some steps to better serve today's veterans in a rough economy," Obama said during a speech at the White House.

　　"Even though the overall unemployment rate ticked down last month, unemployment among veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan continue to rise," he said, adding that more than 850,000 veterans remain unemployed¹.

　　The three new initiatives, entitled Veteran Gold Card, My Next Move for Veterans and Creating a Veterans Job Bank, are mostly aimed at facilitating unemployed veterans with their job searching efforts including better access to job-hunting services.

　　However, those measures are unlikely to make much difference for jobless veterans as they are deemed minor² steps compared with what the president proposed in two legislative³ provisions -- Returning Heroes and Wounded Warrior⁴ Tax Credits.

　　The Returning Heroes Tax Credit provides firms that hire unemployed veterans with a maximum credit of 5,600 dollars per veteran. The Wounded Warriors⁵ Tax Credit offers firms that hire veterans with service-connected disabilities with a maximum credit of 9,600 dollars per veteran.

　　The two provisions, part of the American Jobs Act Obama proposed, are scheduled to be debated by Congress this week.

　　"This week Congress will have another chance to do the right thing," Obama said. "When these ideas come up for a vote this week ... I expect both sides of the aisle⁶ to stand up for our veterans and vote in the affirmative."

　　This was the latest step Obama has taken administratively⁷ to address the nation's economic problems after his jobs package was blocked in the highly partisan⁸ Congress. Those executive actions were taken to help homeowners refinance at lower mortgage rates, to help college graduates reduce the burden of their student loans, and to help prevent and reduce prescription⁹ drug shortages.

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