Budget increase for VETS

VFW Magazine, April, 2003 by Tim Dyhouse

The Bush Administration in February proposed a $9.6 million increase for the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) in its 2004 budget. The total amount budgeted for VETS is $220 million.

The largest increase--$3.5 million--is for grants to states for veterans employment specialists. Total outlay is $162.4 million. Some $29 million--an increase of $2.3 million--is earmarked to support the 250-member VETS staff, which would implement the new National Hire Veterans Committee and the electronic One-Stop Career Center for veterans, both mandated by the Jobs for Veterans Act (P.L. 107-288) signed in November.

Other highlights include:

* some $19 million for grants to public and nonprofit groups to assist about 9,000 homeless veterans find jobs;

* an outlay of $7.55 million for the Veterans Workforce Investment Program; and

* some $2 million for the National Veterans Employment and Training Institute, which trains federal and state employees in the delivery of services to veterans.