Gillibrand urges businesses to make use of vet tax credit

WASHINGTON — Not enough businesses are taking advantage of a tax credit for hiring veterans, especially those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand said.

Mrs. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said she is appealing to business owners to hire veterans and claim the tax break on 40 percent of the first $6,000 paid to a veteran.

"Too many veterans are coming home to a very bad job market and unable to find work," Mrs. Gillibrand said in a press release as Congress marked Veterans Day. "The tax breaks we put in place earlier this year are a win-win for businesses and veterans, but we need to make sure businesses know they are available and take advantage of them by hiring more veterans."

About 3,000 veterans in the north country are unemployed, Mrs. Gillibrand's office reported.

The tax break was part of the federal economic stimulus and runs through 2010.

In addition, Mrs. Gillibrand said, she is introducing legislation to create a national network of centers to help veterans establish businesses. The bill would provide the centers with up to $150,000 each, to be matched with private investments or other sources.

She said she also is supporting legislation to create an optional checkoff on federal income tax forms to send $3 to homeless veterans.

In a separate effort, legislation sponsored by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., to boost programs for homeless veterans had a hearing in the Senate Banking Committee.

That bill, called the Homes for Heroes Act, provides $225 million for community and nonprofit organizations to buy, build or rehabilitate housing for low-income veterans. It also boosts housing subsidies for homeless veterans with mental or addictive disorders.