WASHINGTON, Dc- Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Senator Daniel K. Akaka,
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, introduced legislation to
strengthen the employment and reemployment rights of our returning servicemen and
women. Recent hearings by the Committees have revealed that tens of thousands of
returning servicemembers have reported that they lost their jobs and benefits, and there is
widespread dissatisfaction with the federal agencies that are supposed to help them.
Senator Kennedy said, “The Administration’s failure to help returning servicemembers
who have lost their jobs and benefits is a disgrace. It is an insult to their courageous
service to our country, and it undermines our ability to maintain the strong National
Guard and Reserve that are vital to our national security."
Senator Akaka said, “When veterans turn to the government to protect their employment
rights, they deserve solutions, not delays. This legislation will assist the federal
government in protecting the employment rights of veterans."
The Kennedy-Akaka Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
Enforcement Improvement Act imposes deadlines on federal agencies to assist
servicemembers. It also implements the recommendations of the Government
Accountability Office to reduce inefficiencies and improve the information collected by
the government on these issues.
