Political Quotes

“The veteran unemployment rate is currently 5 percent in Texas, higher than the national average of 3.7. While the national average has steadily declined in recent years, the unemployment rate for young veterans ages 18 to 24 has skyrocketed to 13 percent, more than double the rate it was at this time last year. We need to do more for the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and our safety. That is why I introduced the American Law Enforcement Heroes Act: to provide an outlet for these heroes to continue their service right here at home. My district is home to more than 4,600 Active Duty and 45,000 military veterans who have served or supported Joint Base San Antonio, Laughlin Air Force Base, and Fort Bliss, among others. They often tell me about their struggles to find good jobs once they leave the military. This bill incentivizes State and local governments to hire veterans as new law enforcement officers by giving preference when applying for grants through DOJ's COPS Office which fund academy and field training along with promoting community collaboration. It is modeled after an expired program called Troops to COPS, which helped about 1,000 veterans in the late 1990s. We owe our freedom to these men and women and must do a better job facilitating their transition into meaningful civilian careers.…”