Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William ``bill'' Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act of 2019
Floor Speech
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Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2326, the Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William ``Bill'' Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act of 2019.
As ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I am proud of the work we have done in the subcommittee so far this year on a bipartisan basis and through regular order.
Last Congress, we worked together to make reforms to the Transition Assistance Program at the Department of Defense, enacting a portion of this bill in the National Defense Authorization Act. We created a more individualized process for servicemembers to undergo counseling and training for civilian life well before their discharge. I think that is the key.
The bill was formed as a result of multiple roundtables and hearings, which included stakeholders from my district who discussed the importance of community involvement in their transition process and stakeholders from all over the country, Madam Speaker. And yet, despite all the progress we have made, there is still more work to be done. I am grateful that we are revisiting this issue today.
H.R. 2326 will provide access to veteran employment tracking information to the VA and to the Department of Labor. It will also reestablish a pilot program for an off-base TAP program for veterans and their spouses, made available at locations such as local high schools and community centers. Madam Speaker, I think it is so important to include the spouses.
H.R. 2326 would also create a 5-year grant program at the VA for qualified community organizations that provide innovative transition assistance services to veterans.
I know we have many of these organizations in my district in Florida and all over the country. One example of this is Veterans Alternative in Holiday, Florida. I am grateful for the great work that they do.
Finally, this bill would require the VA, DOD, DOL, and SBA to coordinate their efforts to conduct a 2-year independent assessment and curriculum review of TAP and the transition process, as well as a 5- year longitudinal study on the effectiveness of these TAP changes.
I am glad to see the bill being taken up today by my friend and the subcommittee chairman, Mike Levin, whom I have gotten the pleasure to know this year.
I think I don't have much more time, but I want to give him so much credit for doing a great job as chairman of the Economic Opportunity Committee, as well as Chairman Takano and my good friend, Republican Ranking Member Roe. I also commend Representative Arrington for doing a great job. We are helping our veterans.
Let's pass this good bill and get it to the Senate and to the President so it can become law.
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