May 07,2008

Grassley says federal jobs should go to veterans

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley has won a commitment from the Office of Personnel Management to collect data and best practices from federal agencies about their various veteran outreach and veteran recruitment efforts.

At Grassley’s request, the Office of Personnel Management also will conduct an analysis to determine how agencies can improve their success in recruiting recent combat veterans, particularly those who have been disabled, and what a reasonable goal might be for all federal agencies to strive for.

“I want to see the Administration establish a goal that, at a minimum, 10 percent of new hires in all federal departments and agencies be veterans, especially combat veterans and those who were disabled in combat,” Grassley said. An April news report cited a survey by the Veterans Administration that found 18 percent of the veterans recently back from tours of duty are unemployed.

Grassley started making his case in January, when he urged the new Internal Revenue Service commissioner to fill job vacancies with veterans, including those from Iraq andAfghanistan. Grassley broadened his request in February and wrote to President Bush to urgethat federal agencies that currently fill fewer than 10 percent of job openings with veterans stepup their efforts to recruit and hire veterans.

“The federal government ought to do everything it can to help returning service men andwomen. Veterans offer a talented and dedicated work force,” Grassley said. “I'll stay on top ofthis effort to set a goal and see a coordinated effort in the federal bureaucracy to proactivelyreach out to combat veterans whose service to their country makes them ideal candidates for thefederal workforce.”

Copies of two earlier news releases and Grassley’s correspondence with the Presidentand administration officials are posted with this news release at http://finance.senate.gov.