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…
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.
Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation that is the product of 18 years of collaborative work from a diverse group of stakeholders in Virginia, including local recreation groups, conservationists, timber industry representatives, and sportsmen.
The Shenandoah Mountain Act of 2022 would designate more than 92,000 acres of the George Washington National Forest in Virginia as the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area, SMNSA.
Congress designates national scenic areas to protect the natural and scenic value of lands that are also compatible with recreational uses such as hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, mountain biking, among others.
The SMNSA encompasses four wilderness areas: Skidmore Fork, Little River, Ramsey's Draft, and Lynn Hollow, which in total include 10 peaks above 4,000 feet and 150 miles of trails to attract campers, hikers, mountain bikers, fishermen, birders, and equestrians. The legislation also establishes a 5,764 acre wilderness area at Beech Lick Knob, located 10 miles to the north.
The SMNSA will protect important water resources, as it contains headwaters for the Potomac and James Rivers and watersheds that provide drinking water sources for Harrisonburg, Staunton, and communities farther downstream, such as Washington, DC, and Richmond. It is also a hotspot for biodiversity. Cold mountain streams in the area are also a stronghold for native brook trout. Today's legislation would permanently protect those rivers and streams from industrial development, and it would also help safeguard plant and wildlife habitat for black bears, wild turkeys, more than 250 species of birds, and at-risk species like the Cow Knob and Shenandoah Mountain salamanders.
The Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area will provide a boost to the region's growing tourism industry. In 2019, the tourism economy directly employed 5,365 people and generated $601 million in Augusta, Rockingham, and Highland Counties, as well as Harrisonburg and Staunton. Designation of the SMNSA would further grow this value.
These challenging past 2 years have underscored that getting out into nature is critical to our health and well-being. I am proud that the Shenandoah Mountain Act will expand these opportunities within the George Washington National Forest for visitors near and far, while also boosting our local economies, protecting drinking water sources, and preserving the wildlife that makes this area so special.
The local governments of Staunton, Augusta, Rockingham, and Harrisonburg, along with over 400 businesses and organizations, have endorsed the new designation for the vast benefits it will have on the surrounding communities. I thank my colleague Senator Mark Warner for joining me in introducing this legislation. I also commend our local stakeholders for working on this proposal for so many years.
