Mark Takano: “I thank the gentleman from Maine, the ranking member of our committee, for yielding time, and I thank Chairman Flores of…”

“I thank the gentleman from Maine, the ranking member of our committee, for yielding time, and I thank Chairman Flores of the subcommittee for his hard work. I am pleased to see that the Veterans Economic Opportunity Act of 2013 is receiving a vote today on the floor, as every Member of this distinguished body has servicemembers in his or her congressional district, and all of us believe that taking care of these heroes, when they complete their service, should be a top priority. Bipartisanship in this Congress is rare, but Republicans and Democrats all agree that Congress should be making it easier for our servicemembers as they transition back to civilian life. {time} 1715 The House Veterans' Affairs Committee has a strong track record of being the least partisan committee in Congress, and this very bill is consistent with that record, as it passed in committee unanimously this past September. I am especially proud that H.R. 331, which I originally introduced with my Republican colleague from California, Representative Calvert, was included in the final legislation. With Riverside Community College District campuses in both of our congressional districts and with Riverside County having the eighth largest veterans population in the country, I am proud that Representative Calvert and I joined forces to make it easier for veterans to receive their veterans education benefits.…”