New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has promoted legislation to help disabled veterans during what was billed a "Veteran and Military Family Summit."
The proposed legislation, symbolically signed by Cuomo and legislative leaders, would set aside 6 percent of state contracts for small businesses owned by veterans disabled during their service.
Cuomo says Thursday that the federal government's goal for awarding contracts to veteran-owned businesses is 3 percent.
The legislation would also create a Division of Service-Disabled Veterans' Business Development within the Office of General Services that would organize the program and encourage state agencies to provide opportunities for veterans to participate in state contracting.
The governor's office says New York is home to 900,000 veterans and three major active duty military installations at Fort Drum, Fort Hamilton and West Point.
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