Obama to announce plan to curb veteran unemployment

President Obama will issue executive orders on Tuesday to curb unemployment among veterans, a problem likely to escalate after the drawdown of troops from Iraq. The announcement comes as part of a string of executive orders this week designed to spur the economy without requiring congressional approval. The White House will release more details as the day progresses.

Under the American Jobs Act, Obama proposed tax incentives to businesses hiring veterans, and first and second ladies Michelle Obama and Jill Biden announced an agreement by a private sector association last week to hire 25,000 veterans.

But the effect of those initiatives remains to be seen. The Senate will most likely block the tax incentives, as it has each time all or part of the American Jobs Act has been brought to a vote. And according to Stephen Rossetti, head of government affairs for the American Logistics Association, the private sector group working with the first and second ladies, the group cannot actually force its affiliate companies to hire the 25,000 veterans.

Rossetti said his group, whose affiliates include Coca-Cola and ConAgra, expects to see a rise in unemployed vets who are basically "walking out cold."

"You have families that have been involved in two wars for 10 years. It's very difficult to network for a position when you're walking in the mountains of Afghanistan," Rossetti said.

On Wednesday, from Denver, the president will announce the third executive order of the week, which is expected to be aimed at lowering student debt.