Congress courts veterans pre-election

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Both parties are using a brief pre-election session of Congress to make campaign appeals to returning veterans.

Senate Democrats are pushing President Barack Obama’s proposed $1 billion Veterans Jobs Corps to relieve high unemployment among servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. House Republicans are pushing a bill making it a crime to benefit from lying about military services or awards.

Lawmakers in both parties agreed this week to come up with more money to help the Department of Veterans Affairs reduce a disability-claims backlog.

Obama proposed a job corps for veterans last February that would place them in jobs restoring public lands and beefing up local police and fire departments. It cleared a preliminary test vote Tuesday, as was expected, but aides said progress easily could unravel as lawmakers negotiate what amendments and how many of them will be allowed.

Although the legislation is not expected to become law this session, it gives lawmakers a chance to display their support for the nation’s 21 million-plus veterans before Congress adjourns for the campaign season.

The unemployment rate for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan has been trending lower in recent months but hit a bump last month. Joblessness among them was nearly 11 percent in August, compared with an 8.1 percent jobless rate nationwide.

House Republicans plan a vote this week on their “stolen valor” bill. The Supreme Court struck down a similar law in June, saying false claims about being awarded medals for military service are “contemptible” but still are protected by the First Amendment.

The House passed separate veterans legislation Tuesday that directs the VA to improve outreach to veterans about the higher- education opportunities available to them. The bill also requires states to take into consideration military training when granting licenses or credentials to vets in certain occupations.

Lawmakers want to return to their districts to campaign for re-election as soon as possible. House members could leave as early as Friday and are expected to stay in Washington no later than the end of next week. The Senate is likely to have a shortened September schedule, too.

That means there is almost no time to pass substantive legislation — but enough time to try to score some points with voters.