WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that that the U.S. Department of Labor has awarded Maryland a $7.66 million National Emergency Grant to assist more than 6,500 U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees, contractors and military spouses who have been impacted by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisions. The grant will allow the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia to implement an integrated approach to help jobseekers navigate the federal hiring process and compete for BRAC jobs and other federal jobs across the region.

“Maryland stands to gain as many as 60,000 new jobs thanks to BRAC,” said Cardin. “This funding is welcome news for thousands of Marylanders hoping to take advantage of the many new jobs and economic opportunities that BRAC will provide in our state.”

The National Emergency Grant will be administered by the Maryland Department of Labor (DLLR) Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning (DWDAL). DWDAL will administer funds to Maryland One Stop Employment Centers in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s and Talbot Counties. The Maryland Workforce Corporation will administer funds to the District of Columbia.

“BRAC brings great opportunities, but it also brings great challenges,” Mikulski said. “That’s why I will continue to fight for funding in the federal checkbook to meet the increased demands on our communities in Maryland. Helping Marylanders prepare to fill BRAC positions not only means jobs, jobs, jobs for Maryland – it means a strong economy for our state.”

“In Maryland, BRAC means more jobs, a stronger economy and an opportunity to invest in our most valuable commodity – our highly-educated, highly-skilled workforce,” said Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown, chair of the Governor’s Subcabinet on Base Realignment and Closure. “With more and more federal jobs arriving on our military installations every month, we have a responsibility to the country to ensure that Maryland’s workforce is prepared to fill the positions. I thank Senator Mikulski, Senator Cardin and all of Team Maryland for their leadership in helping to secure these vital funds for our State.”

BRAC will create as many as 20,000 direct federal jobs in Maryland by September 2011 and up to 40,000 indirect and induced jobs by 2015.