***House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Repeal 3% Withholding Requirement, Promote Veteran Employment Opportunities***
November 16, 2011
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson today voted to support H.R. 674, legislation to repeal the 3% withholding requirement on certain payments made to contractors doing business with federal, state, and local governments. The measure also includes provisions to promote the hiring of Veterans, through tax incentives and employment training programs. H.R. 674 passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 422-0.
“This measure prevents an unnecessary burden from falling upon our country’s small businesses, while also providing additional economic opportunities to our nation’s Veterans, who have sacrificed for this country and deserve our unwavering support,” said Rep. Thompson. “But we need more relief, we need to act on the 20 jobs bills that have been sent to the Senate, so that more businesses will have the confidence to expand and hire American workers.”
Since the Beginning of the 112th Congress, the House chamber has passed more than 20 bipartisan job creating bills, including two jobs bills that will be sent to President Obama for his signature this week. Representative Thompson has continued to call upon the Senate to work with the House on passing the remaining measures.
“Passage of H.R. 674 is part of a broader effort in the House to provide American employers with relief from the Obama Administration’s regulatory regime, which has driven down business confidence and put our nation’s small businesses at risk,” Rep. Thompson added. “As we move forward, it is my hope that the Senate and the President will work with the House on the remaining house-passed jobs bills and do what is necessary to support American competitiveness.”
On November 10th, the Senate voted 95-0 to pass H.R. 674, after adding provisions intended to help unemployed veterans, including tax credits to companies that hire unemployed veterans and the creation of a retraining assistance program through which veterans would be entitled to up to 12 months of training assistance.
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