Exempt Veterans from the Hiring Freeze!

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President Trump instituted an across-the-board hiring freeze on federal jobs – except for national security and military positions – in an effort to curb federal spending and the size of government. But an unintended consequence of this action is harming our young veterans who need jobs and need them now. **We need to make veterans exempt from the federal hiring freeze!**

A group of 22 Democrats in Congress, led by Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., are trying to do exactly that. Lynch has put forward a bill that would let federal agencies to **fill vacant positions with veterans**.

According to Lynch, "President Trump's federal hiring freeze not only hurts everyday Americans seeking a prompt response from a federal agency, but also makes it difficult for veterans looking for employment in the federal government across the country. **Veterans have earned their hiring preference** and I am deeply concerned that the federal hiring freeze will **disproportionately hurt America's veterans**."

The most recent numbers available show that the veteran unemployment rate is going up. According to CNBC, the unemployment rate for young veterans has sharply increased from 6.3 percent in January from 4.4 percent in September. At the same time, **veterans make up one third of all federal employees**. Thus, the federal hiring freeze is keeping veterans from getting jobs when they are needed more than ever.

With exceptions already being made to the hiring freeze for military personnel and national security positions, our nation's veterans should be included in the exception to the hiring freeze as well. These brave men and women, who have spent years serving and defending our country, should not face a roadblock when re-entering civilian life.

Keeping veterans from starting work in federal government jobs will only further increase the unemployment rate among young veterans, a group uniquely qualified for these jobs who possess qualities of hard work, dedication, discipline, and love of our country.

The federal hiring freeze may or may not have some positive effects, but what needs to come first is taking care of our veterans. Sign the petition to **show you support exempting veterans from the federal hiring freeze**. They did their duty, and now that they are in civilian life let's help them find work and lower the veteran unemployment rate!