Peters Focusing On Pay Differentials

Michigan’s Junior US Senator says he’s working on legislation in Congress to close the gap on a pay differential for those in the military and support homeless veterans, among other benefit services.

Detroit US Senate Democrat Gary Peters says his effort to bring equality to military pay involves creating a 20-percent tax credit for small businesses to make up the difference lost when servicemen and women are called up to active duty.

Peters says large corporations don’t have a problem with that disparity, but smaller businesses do, and that makes a difference to struggling military families.

Patrick Patterson, Executive Vice-President for Volunteers of America, Michigan, says the pay differential legislation is critical in helping other areas of need for veterans, especially in regards to homelessness.

Patterson says homelessness among veterans in the Lansing-area has decreased from 25 percent of the local population to 15-percent since he has become involved, but he also admits the problem persists in economically-stressed areas like Flint and Detroit.

Meantime, Senator Peters, who visited VOA facilities in Lansing last week, says he continues to work to also reduce wait times for veterans in order for them to get Veterans Administration benefits.