[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 23, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S1751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. Boozman, Ms. Hassan, and Mr. 
        Rounds):
  S. 3909. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make 
employers of spouses of military personnel eligible for the work 
opportunity credit; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Military Spouse 
Hiring Act with my colleagues Senators Boozman, Hassan, and Rounds. 
Enacting this bill would improve financial stability for Blue Star 
families across the country.
  The families of America's servicemembers make sacrifices that often 
go unrecognized. Among them is packing up and moving frequently, with 
military spouses regularly having to leave stable employment to move to 
a new area and start over. This is compounded by the complex system of 
State licensing and certification requirements, which can prevent these 
spouses from taking jobs that utilize their expertise and experience. 
Because of this, military spouses have unemployment rates substantially 
higher than the national average, and they are often underemployed when 
they do have jobs. Adding to the financial struggles caused by frequent 
periods of unemployment and underemployment, the rising cost of child 
care puts a substantial burden on many military families.
  The Military Spouse Hiring Act would help these families by making 
military spouses an eligible population for the work opportunity tax 
credit. This tax credit has proven effective in improving employment 
prospects for other groups. Extending it to military spouses would help 
them find employment more easily after moving to new areas.
  I hope my colleagues will support this bill to help families who have 
made the greatest sacrifice for our nation.
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