WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and 14 of his Senate colleagues introduced the bipartisan Military Spouse Hiring Act to amend the U.S. tax code to incentivize small businesses to hire more military spouses.
“Thousands of military spouses in Colorado struggle to balance frequent moves while growing their careers,” said Hickenlooper. “Our bipartisan bill creates more career opportunities for military spouses while helping small businesses at the same time.”
Military spouses experience rates of unemployment and underemployment higher than the national average, and frequent moves often stall military spouses’ upward career progression and force them to find new jobs. The Military Spouse Hiring Act would expand the existing Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program, which provides tax credits to employers who hire people facing unique barriers to employment, to include military spouses.
The Military Spouse Hiring Act is supported by the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA), Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), Chief Warrant Officers Association of the US Coast Guard (CWOA) Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), Jewish War Veterans (JWV), Marine Corps League (MCL), Military Chaplains Association (MCA), Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN), Military Officers
Association of America (MOAA), Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Military Spouse Advocacy network (MSAN), National Defense Committee (NDC), National Military Family Association (NMFA), National Military Spouse Network (NMSN), Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA), Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), The American Legion (TAL), The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (USA WOA), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), and the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).
Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives.
A summary of the legislation is available HERE. Full text of the legislation is available HERE.
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