[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 2 (Thursday, January 9, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E79-E80]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




AMERICA'S VETERANS HAVE EARNED EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND SMALL BUSINESS 
                             OPPORTUNITIES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 9, 1997

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, it has been my privilege to serve on the 
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs since I was first elected to 
Congress 4 years ago, and I look forward to continuing that service in 
the 105th Congress. I asked to serve on the Veterans' Affairs Committee 
because I believe that the men and women who serve in our Nation's 
Armed Forces are special members of our American family. Because of 
their service, the rest of us are able to fully enjoy the freedoms on 
which our country was founded. We have a unique debt to our veterans, 
and, as a member of the Veteran's Committee, I have worked to ensure 
that that debt is repaid.
  On January 7, 1997, the first day of the 105th Congress, I introduced 
three bills of particular importance to veterans and members of the 
Reserves and National Guard. We have a longstanding national commitment 
to provide special assistance for veterans who want employment and 
training assistance, and these bills will help us fulfill that 
commitment.
  Last year, a Supreme Court ruling mistakenly eliminated a portion of 
the job protection we have provided for 50 years for people who serve 
in the Reserves and National Guard. Because of this ruling, citizen 
soldiers who are also employees of a State government are at risk of 
not being restored to their civilian jobs following their military 
service. H.R. 166, the Veterans' Job Protection Act, would restore 
reemployment protection for these individuals by making it clear that 
States must obey the law and reestablish these men and women in their 
State jobs when they return from their military duties.
  The Veterans' Training and Employment Bill of Rights Act of 1997, 
H.R. 167, would provide that service-disabled veterans and veterans who 
serve in combat areas would be ``first in line'' for federally funded 
training-related services and programs. Under current law, veterans are 
often underserved by national programs such as the Job Training 
Partnership Act [JTPA]. Veterans' service organizations have told us, 
for example, that program managers sometimes turn veterans away from 
JTPA dislocated worker programs because they mistakenly assume that 
veterans receive the same services from the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. My bill would reinforce our commitment to provide special 
training assistance for veterans and make it clear that eligible 
veterans have earned a place at the front of the line.
  Additionally, H.R. 167 would update the Federal Contractor Job 
Listing Program. Under current law, Federal contractors with contracts 
of $10,000 or more must make special efforts to employ certain 
qualified disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era. These 
contractors are also required to file annual reports with the 
Department of Labor [DOL] regarding the number of veterans they have 
hired. H.R. 167 would increase the contract level to $100,000. This 
level would reduce the number of reports filed and enable DOL to more 
carefully review and evaluate the contractor information.

  This bill would also establish the first effective appeals process 
for veterans who believe their rights have been violated under certain 
veterans' employment-related programs. My bill would require the 
Secretary of Labor to assist veterans who think Federal contractors 
have not met their obligation to hire veterans. The Secretary would 
also be required to help veterans who believe they were not given 
preference for enrollment in Federal training programs. A veteran could 
also file a complaint directly with a district court. H.R. 167 would 
provide the ``teeth'' that have been missing from some veterans' 
training programs and would go a long way toward ensuring that 
veterans' rights are respected.
  Many veterans have told me they would like to own a small business, 
and our national economy would certainly be strengthened if more 
veterans were able to establish their own companies. Because of this, I 
introduced H.R. 168, the Veterans' Entrepreneurship Promotion Act of 
1997. This bill is designed to assist the development of small 
businesses owned by disabled and other eligible veterans. Under this 
measure, a program would be established to help eligible veteran-owned 
small businesses compete for Federal Government contracts. 
Additionally, because adequate capital is absolutely necessary for 
business startup and expansion, H.R. 168 would establish a

[[Page E80]]

guaranteed loan program in the Small Business Administration for 
veteran-owned businesses. Also included in my bill is a provision to 
establish a program of training, counseling, and management assistance 
for veterans interested in establishing a small business. Veterans are 
smart, disciplined, and hard workers--the kind of people we need to 
strengthen and expand our economy--and those who want to pursue self-
employment should be supported and encouraged.
  These bills would significantly increase training and employment 
opportunities for those unique members of our American family--our 
Nation's veterans. These special men and women have more than earned 
the assistance that would be provided by these measures.
  I want to take this opportunity to thank the representatives of the 
major veterans' service organizations whose assistance in the 
development of these bills was invaluable. I also want to say that, as 
the ranking Democratic member of the Subcommittee on Benefits, I look 
forward to working closely with the chairman of the subcommittee and 
the chairman of the full Veterans' Affairs Committee on these and other 
issues of importance to America's veterans.

                          ____________________