Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation To Boost Hiring Of Military Spouses

March 01, 2023

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) in cosponsoring the bipartisan Military Spouse Hiring Act, bipartisan legislation to amend the tax code to incentivize businesses to hire military spouses.

"Nevada's military spouses share in the sacrifices of their loved ones bravely serving our country, and we need to make it as easy as possible for them to support their families," said Senator Cortez Masto. "This bipartisan bill to help create more career opportunities for military spouses and our servicemembers, and I'll keep fighting to provide them with the resources they need."

According to a survey by Blue Star Families, military spouse employment is the top issue impacting active-duty families. Military spouses consistently experience unemployment rates substantially higher than the national rate, and two thirds of employed active duty military spouses report underemployment. Frequent moves often stall military spouses' upward career progression and force them to find new jobs. This hurts military families and military readiness. Today's legislation would address the issue by expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program-which incentivizes employers to hire individuals who experience unique employment barriers-to include military spouses.

The Military Spouse Hiring Act is supported by: Air & Space Forces Association, Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), American Veterans, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, Blue Star Families, Commissioned Officers Association of the US Public Health Service (COA), Chief Warrant Officers Association of the US Coast Guard (CWOA), Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), Fleet Reserve Association, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV), Marine Corps League (MCL), Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America (MCA), Military Family Advisory Network, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Military Spouse Advocacy Network, National Military Family Association (NMFA), National Military Spouse Network, Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA), Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Service Women's Action Network (SWAN), The American Legion, The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (USA WOA), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Work Opportunity Tax Credit Coalition, and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

Full text of the legislation is available HERE. A summary of the legislation is available HERE.

Senator Cortez Masto has spent her career fighting for Nevada veterans, service members, and their families. She wrote and passed the Brian Neuman Act to remove roadblocks for disabled veterans accessing their benefits, passed the PACT Act to ensure veterans suffering from toxic exposure in the line of duty get the medical care they need, and worked across the aisle to get legislation helping veterans exposed to Agent Orange and expanding benefits for women veterans signed into law.

The daughter and granddaughter of veterans, Cortez Masto secured a deal with the Trump administration to build a veterans cemetery in Elko that Northern Nevada veterans had wanted for more than a decade, voted for two of the largest payraises for service members, and led the charge to pass the most significant overhaul to the U.S. military housing program in over twenty years. As Nevada's attorney general, Cortez Masto cracked down on fraudsters targeting veterans, and she's leading bipartisan efforts to combat veterans fraud on the federal level.

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