In his fiscal year 2014 budget request, announced April 10, President Obama demonstrated his commitment to getting good jobs for veterans by doubling down on veterans' employment investments at the department. The proposal includes approximately $100 million in additional investments to help veterans find civilian jobs, for a total of $351 million. Acting Secretary Harris took to the airwaves on April 17 to voice his support for the proposals and explain what the investments mean for individual veterans. He described the expanded services that would be available to transitioning service members under the new proposal, including additional funding for the Transition Assistance Program and for innovative veterans employment programs through the Workforce Innovation Fund. Asked about the likelihood of approval of the plan, Harris responded, "If there's anything we can agree on in Washington, it's that we owe a tremendous debt to our veterans."
4/17/2013 - Acting Labor Secretary Seth Harris joins In Depth to discuss the expanded services for veterans included in President Barack Obama's 2014 budget proposal. Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service helps veterans transition to civilian employment.
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18 April 2013 - Facing health and economic crises, Army veteran Denise McNeill turned to two department programs under the Veterans' Employment and Training Service for help. McNeill, a single mom, had lost her long-term conference planning position while caring for her sick mother. Her entire extended family was on the brink of being homeless. "I had no job, no income, I was scared," McNeill said. She went to America Works of Washington, D.C., a job-placement organization that assists homeless veterans, under the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. She received career counseling, including help upgrading her resume, improving her interview skills and searching social media for job openings. Although her situation was dire, McNeill said she never despaired because "others have been worse off than me." An America Works official said McNeill was so impressive in her professional demeanor and overall presence that when an opening occurred at the organization, she was hired to help low-income individuals find educational training programs. McNeill has also enrolled in a community college under the department's Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, which offers educational assistance to eligible veterans 35 to 60 years of age.
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