Political Quotes

“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.…”