Senator Schmitt, Senator Ossoff Introduce Bipartisan Military Spouse Job Continuity Act

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Eric Schmitt, alongside Senator John Ossoff (D-GA), introduced the bipartisan Military Spouse Job Continuity Act to support our nation’s veterans and their families.

“Service members have dedicated their lives to our country – we should continue to find ways to make their lives easier. I’m proud to lead with Senator Ossoff on a bill that does just that. Military spouses should not be required to shoulder the cost of fees and other charges related to professional licensing or certification when moving between duty stations. These are small, easy ways that we can provide important quality of life changes, which in turn will help with recruitment and retention,” said Senator Eric Schmitt.

“Military families make tremendous sacrifices in defense of our nation, and difficulty keeping their jobs when transferring duty stations should not be one of them. Senator Schmitt and I are introducing this bipartisan bill to expand economic opportunity for military spouses who heroically serve our nation,” said Senator John Ossoff.

BACKGROUND:

• The Military Spouse Job Continuity Act would provide reimbursements to active-duty servicemembers’ spouses for relicensing and business costs following the servicemember’s relocation. 
• According to the DoD, nearly 39% of military spouses require a professional license for their jobs and can face unemployment each time they move.
• Senator Schmitt and Senator Ossoff previously worked together to get theMilitary Spouse Career Support Act of 2023 included in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act.
  • This legislation expanded the reimbursement of licensure and business costs to spouses of servicemembers who are transferring to the reserve component.
• Senator Schmitt also co-sponsored Senator Patty Murray’s (D-WA) SMART Save Act, which would make long overdue updates to improve DoD’s financial literacy training program, better preparing servicemembers and their families for their transition to civilian life.