Senator Reed addressed local veterans and employers at the Hire Our Heroes Job Fair in Warwick, where he discussed the benefits of hiring veterans. Hiring Our Heroes is a nationwide initiative that works with local chambers of commerce and other partners in the public, private, and non-profit sectors to help veterans connect with employment opportunities. In 2016, Senator Reed helped secure $250,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Veterans Business Development to expand the Veterans Business Outreach Center program in Rhode Island, which supports veterans and transitioning service members by providing free one-on-one business counseling, training conferences, and business workshops. In 2015, he helped pass legislation to enhance and extend Work Opportunity Tax Credits to encourage employers to hire and retain veterans and individuals from other target groups.
