Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill to right a bureaucratic wrong that has prevented capable and qualified veterans from serving their home States as work-study students in Congressional offices. For years, veterans have served in the office of their representative or senator as a vital part of an office's constituent service efforts. These student veterans gain employment experience while providing valuable expertise to our offices. Student veterans work together with our staffs to assist other veterans from their home State wade through the often confusing and lengthy process of receiving benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Congressional offices benefit by providing better services to their constituents without having to hire a disproportionate number of people to assist with veterans affairs. Veteran work-study students also benefit the VA by shouldering up-front some of the administrative burdens of claims processing. Congressional offices have served as qualified work sites for VA work-study students for over 25 years. Student veterans have worked in congressional offices during my time in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In recent months, however, Oregon congressional offices were notified that they would no longer be eligible sites for VA work-study programs. I am deeply troubled that the proud tradition of student veterans serving fellow veterans in Oregon congressional offices is in jeopardy.…”