Jeff Denham: “Members, the recent Memorial Day weekend and now the ever-escalating high unemployment numbers remind us of how many…”

“Members, the recent Memorial Day weekend and now the ever-escalating high unemployment numbers remind us of how many veterans are out of work and of how many who will be returning home to no jobs. For the last year, I've worked on the Veterans Skills to Jobs Act. When I left the active duty military, I realized that it would take me several years to get the credentialing on the civilian side that I already had on the military side. We have the best, most sophisticated, trained workforce in the military. As they return home, we need to make sure that not only do they have jobs but that they have high-paying skilled jobs. By credentialing them through the Department of Defense before they get discharged, we give them the opportunity to capture those jobs immediately. When I introduced this bill, several weeks later, the Senate introduced a companion bill, and now, today, the President has declared his support for the bill. It is time to show leadership in both Houses, to show leadership in the Presidency, and to pass this bill. Our brave men and women who have served so bravely and sacrificed so much deserve jobs when they get home, high-paying jobs that will allow them to get back into our society. ____________________”