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[Pages H7382-H7383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING NATIONAL HIRE A VETERAN DAY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize
today, July 25, as National Hire A Veteran Day.
In 2017, the nonprofit Hire Our Heroes established the day to
highlight the many talented men and women who served our country and
are now seeking civilian employment.
Hire Our Heroes serves as a resource bank for veterans to seek
professional advice, discover new training opportunities, and search
for new job opportunities.
Our Nation's veterans are some of the most dedicated and selfless
individuals who call this great Nation home. While we may never be able
to repay them for their sacrifice fully, the very least we can do is to
help ease the transition back into civilian life.
A big part of that transition is ensuring there are well-paying,
family-sustaining jobs available for our men and women in uniform when
they return home.
The most recent numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show
veteran unemployment at 3.2 percent, the lowest rate since 2011. That
is great news, but that does not mean our work here is done.
As a proud father of an Army infantryman, I am proud to have
supported legislation throughout my time in Congress that ensures our
Active Duty servicemembers and their spouses have the tools they need
to defend our country successfully. But it is critical that we also
support legislation that prepares our veterans for adjusting to life
after combat.
There are more than 7 million open jobs across the country. Our
veterans want to work, and service is in their veins.
{time} 1015
They want to make an honest living and provide for their families.
They
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want to learn new skills and be proud of the work that they do. It is
important that we do our part to ensure these opportunities are
available.
We can bolster veteran employment opportunities with career and
technical education. Many of the men and women seeking civilian
employment are already highly skilled, highly trained. They are
experienced, literally, under fire.
The skills that come with CTE training can help expand our veterans'
existing skill sets and prepare them for careers in STEM disciplines,
nursing, construction, information technology, energy, cybersecurity,
and many more.
Mr. Speaker, our veterans are a huge part of what makes this country
so great. They have chosen to risk their lives to protect our Nation.
We have the opportunity, no, the responsibility to provide them with
the best possible care and to empower them with the necessary tools to
make smart career decisions when we welcome them home.
Hire Our Heroes says the best way to thank a veteran is to hire one.
We should all keep this in mind as we celebrate our Nation's veterans
today and for many more days to come.
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