In an attempt to give support to those who paid their due for the country, Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) launched the Congressional Veterans Job Caucus for the 113th Congress last Wednesday to promote career opportunities for unemployed veterans.

The bipartisan effort, which is led by Representatives Denham, Tim Walz (D-MN) and Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), highlighted the “I Hire Vets” initiative and their commitment to decrease the unemployment rate of nearly 800,000 veterans.

 "We all know the economic crisis facing our country and how hard it is to find work; the same is true for our veterans,” said Denham.  “Many times the struggles of our service members are forgotten but we need to welcome these men and women home with open arms and empower them to use the skills they have to get jobs. I’m proud to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate on both sides of the aisle to uphold our commitment to our veterans, and we invite members of the public – especially business owners – to join us in this important mission."

Over 20 veteran organizations have endorsed the Congressional Veterans Job Caucus. Likewise, corporate giants such as Walmart, UPS, Amazon, and other businesses have also joined the effort.

“Walmart is pleased to join the Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus and to advance the work of hiring our nations heroes,” said Walmart President and CEO Bill Simon, who intends to hire 100,000 veterans within the next five years. “By bringing together employers and elected officials, we can drive real change on behalf of those who served our nation in uniform.”

Though Denham is glad for the support of the corporate partners, he continues to look locally for participants in the Central Valley to include their businesses in the effort. It is his hope that more businesses will be display the “I Hire Veterans” logo, that allows offices, agencies, and companies to display their patriotic pride in hiring a current or past veteran.

Hilmar Cheese Company supports Denham’s initiative—  after hearing about last week’s launch — and proudly displays the “I Hire Vets” logo on the career search page of its website.

“Hilmar Cheese Company has always been supportive of veterans and appreciative of their sacrifices. We have 25 veterans on staff and many of the company owners also served in the military,” said Jean Haskell, director of human resources at Hilmar Cheese. “We currently have 10 positions open in California, and nine positions at our facility in Dalhart, Texas, along with college internship opportunities for both sites. We encourage veterans and anyone interested to learn about our opportunities and apply online.”

For more information about the Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus visit http://denham.house.gov/HireAVet