Putting veterans back to work tied up in politics

Politicians keep complaining about the unemployment rate but when they have a chance to do something, they blow it, then complain even more! The part that gets me is this bill is for veterans. You know, the men and women putting the country first along with the others they serve with! Too bad politicians can't make the same claim anymore.

Vets jobs bill mired in Hill squabble
By Steve Vogel
Washington Post

A bill to put veterans to work preserving and restoring national parks and other federal, state and local lands has become mired in a political fight, facing a procedural vote Wednesday in the Senate that could leave the legislation’s future in doubt.

Democratic sponsors charge that the Veterans Job Corps bill is being held up by Republicans who refuse to allow any legislative victories to the Obama administration. Republicans counter that a GOP version of the legislation would lower veterans unemployment without raising the deficit.

The Democrats’ bill is based on a proposal for a $1 billion program outlined by President Obama during his State of the Union Address, but has been amended to include a number of Republican-sponsored provisions, including measures that would improve veterans’ access to Internet tools to find jobs, and make it easier for troops leaving military service to get transition training for civilian life.

Tom Tarantino, chief policy officer for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said his organization expected little opposition to the modified legislation. “Once it incorporated ideas from both sides of the aisle, I thought it would be an easy sell,” said Tarantino, who served as an Army captain in Iraq.
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Senators Rand Paul and Tom Coburn hold up bill