ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 23, 2025 – This week, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R-VA), and Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) introduced the Veterans Energy Transition (VET) Act, which bridges a growing workforce gap by connecting transitioning service members with energy-related jobs for manufacturing, distribution, and contracting.
The effort is an acknowledgment that energy security is national security, and the U.S. cannot maintain economic strength or energy dominance without a reliable, skilled workforce.
Wes Smith, President and CEO of NAED, praised the effort, stating:
The National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) is grateful for the work that Congresswoman Kiggans and Congresswoman Houlahan have put into this effort to introduce the VET Act.
Our industry, like others, is facing significant workforce challenges which will only get worse if we fail to act. At the same time, approximately 200,000 service members transition from active duty each year and are an ideal pool of talent that are trained, highly motivated, and uniquely equipped to help the nation build, distribute and install the electrical infrastructure needed to keep America’s economy on the cutting edge.
As an Air Force veteran, I know firsthand how rewarding and vital this work is to our nation’s future and am excited to welcome a new generation of professionals needed to get the job done.
If passed into law, the bill provides up to $10,000 per participant to offset training, certification, relocation, and onboarding costs; encourages investment in Opportunity Zones; and supports veterans with added challenges such as disabilities and homelessness.
With $60 million in annual funding from FY26 to FY31, the VET Act builds a pipeline of skilled veterans into sectors essential to national security and energy resilience.
For more information, contact Bud DeFlaviis, NAED’s Director of Government Relations.
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