Bringing Registered Apprenticeships to Veterans Education Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. NORCROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

This is National Apprenticeship Week, and what better time for the passage of H.R. 147, the BRAVE Act.

I am a product of a registered apprenticeship program and the father of a veteran.

The Bringing Registered Apprenticeships to Veterans Education Act, or the BRAVE Act, would help those returning veterans find good-paying jobs and careers.

When we send our servicemembers to war, we train them and equip them, and we give them the skills they need to protect and defend the United States. We do this because we want them to succeed wherever they are needed, be it on the battlefield or rendering humanitarian assistance around the world. They deserve the same level of support when they leave the service and transition back to civilian life.

One of the best ways to help our vets transition is by providing them meaningful work opportunities or careers. Registered apprenticeships are one of the best ways, if not the best way, in the history of the United States for people to gain those skills. Registered apprenticeships allow the returning soldier to earn while they learn in-demand skills that are so desperately needed for family-sustaining careers.

Ninety-two percent of those who complete a registered apprenticeship program stay employed, and the average salary for graduates is $72,000. That is nearly $20,000 more than the average college graduate, with no student debt.

The BRAVE Act will connect veterans to these resources, helping them to transition to fulfilling civilian careers.

It is fitting that the vote for the BRAVE Act takes place during National Apprenticeship Week.

I urge all of my colleagues to support our veterans in their pursuit of a good career and a good-paying job by voting for the BRAVE Act.

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