3% Withholding Repeal and Job Creation Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I thank the distinguished gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the Democratic and Republican leadership in both the House and the Senate for their timely consideration of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.

As the House sponsor of the Hiring Heroes Act provisions that are in the bill, I would also like to thank the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees for their outstanding work on this jobs measure, as well as to thank the chairs and ranking members of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Just as this Nation has a responsibility not to leave our soldiers behind on the battlefield, we also have an obligation not to forget our veterans when they return home.

Last month the unemployment rate for veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan was 12 percent. The youngest of veterans, ages 18 to 24, had a 30 percent unemployment rate in October. Among African American veterans aged 18 to 24, the jobless rate is a striking 48 percent. These numbers, Madam Speaker, are unacceptable. H.R. 674 allows us to honor our veterans by ensuring that they have the resources and the tools they need to find suitable and sustainable employment.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 674 and to provide our Nation's veterans with the employment opportunities that they need and so rightly deserve.

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Madam Speaker, as the House sponsor of the Hiring Heroes provisions in this bill, I would be remiss if I did not also thank House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chair Jeff Miller; House Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Bob Filner; Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chair Patty Murray; and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Burr for their outstanding work on this comprehensive 1 veterans' jobs measure.

Last week as America celebrated Veterans' Day, patriots all across our great nation honored our brave veterans with parades, luncheons, and other ceremonies of remembrance. The many sacrifices members of our Armed Services have made for the freedoms we currently enjoy certainly warrants a national day of recognition and so much more.

Our patriotic service members have been instrumental in building and defending our democracy. We, as a nation, have a responsibility to pay tribute to them and preserve the memory of their service in our history and in our hearts and minds.

Just as this nation has a responsibility not to leave our soldiers behind on the battlefield, we also must not forget our veterans when they return home. In many respects, our soldiers need our help even more when they receive their discharge papers and return to civilian life.

Last month, the unemployment rate for veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan was 12.1 percent versus 9.1 percent for the U.S. overall. The youngest of veterans, age 18 to 24, had a 30.4 percent unemployment rate in October, an increase from 18.4 percent a year earlier. Among black veterans age 18 to 24, the jobless rate is a striking 48 percent. These numbers are unacceptable.

H.R. 674 allows us to honor our veterans by ensuring they have the resources and tools they need to find suitable and sustainable employment.

This wide-ranging legislation combines key components of President Obama's American Jobs Act, Chairman Miller's Veterans Opportunity to Work Act, and the Hiring Heroes Act. I sponsored the bipartisan Hiring Heroes Act in the House and Senator Patty Murray introduced the measure in the Senate.

The bipartisan Hiring Heroes Act provisions included in this legislation will ensure that all service members transitioning to civilian life receive the job training skills they need to find a job. This legislation allows service members to begin the federal employment process prior to separation in order to facilitate a smooth transition from the military to jobs at the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, and other federal agencies in need of our veterans.

This bill also makes the Transition Assistance Program--an interagency workshop coordinated by the Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs--mandatory for service members moving on to civilian

life. This initiative helps veterans secure 21st Century jobs by providing resume writing workshops, job search techniques, interview tips, and career counseling.

Other provisions in the VOW to Hire Heroes Act will provide nearly 100,000 unemployed veterans with up to one-year of additional Montgomery GI Bill benefits to qualify for jobs in high demand sectors. In addition, the legislation provides tax incentives of up to $5,600 for hiring veterans, and up to $9,600 for hiring disabled veterans, if the veteran has been looking for work for six months or longer.

Madam Speaker, we have an obligation to ensure our veterans land on their feet when they come home and help them find good paying jobs to support their families. These heroes have risked the most for our country. They shouldn't be coming home to unemployment checks. That's why providing this support to our nation's veterans is simply the right thing to do, and I look forward to voting in favor of this comprehensive veterans' employment initiative.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 674 and to provide our nation's veterans with the employment assistance opportunities that they need and so rightly deserve.

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