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By Rep. Steve Buyer, Chair,
House Veterans’ Affairs Committee
The July-August
issue of The VVA Veteran included a critical performance
review of the Veterans Employment and Training Service
(VETS). I agree that, as currently organized, the system
is inconsistent in putting veterans—especially
disabled veterans—in good jobs.
To begin the process
of evolving veterans’ employment
services into a high-performing program, the House passed
H.R. 3082, which would make several basic changes to how
VETS funds and measures the performance of state employment
services. The bill would improve hiring and training processes
for Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Programs (DVOPS)
and Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVERs),
set several requirements that states must meet as conditions
of receiving the DVOP/LVER grant from VETS, establish pilot
programs for licensing and certification, establish a measure
of competition for employment services, and add a representative
of the National Governors Association to the VETS Advisory
Committee.
Based on observing the performance of VETS during
my 14 years in Congress, I believe the basic design of
the program is flawed. The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
constantly hears from senior-level corporate hiring officials
who are eager to hire veterans but don’t know where
to find them. Our first reply is to ask them if they know
their local LVERs or their state’s Director of Veterans
Employment and Training. Too often they are unfamiliar
with these agencies. That indicates inadequate outreach
to employers.
Some have suggested that VETS be moved to
VA to get greater visibility over the programs. The House
and Senate Veterans Affairs’ Committees certainly
have greater influence over VA than DoL, but it can also
be said that Labor is in the business of finding people
work, and the programs should stay there. These are pros
and cons that must be weighed. If such a thing were to
happen, funding must be shifted from DoL to VA to cover
program costs.
I am committed to improving VETS operations,
and look forward to working with VVA and the rest of the
veterans’ community
to make that happen.
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