[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 121 (Tuesday, September 11, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           REQUIRE THE VA TO CONSIDER ALL QUALIFIED VETERANS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE COFFMAN

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 11, 2012

  Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, we are remiss in our duty to 
reintegrate those who served in our military into the civilian 
workforce. The awful truth is that 16.7 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan 
servicemembers face joblessness upon separation. To help address this 
problem, I am introducing the Veterans Employment Act of 2012, which 
will require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to hire all qualified 
veterans before considering other applicants. The Department of 
Veterans Affairs, VA, has a workforce of 318,856 civilians, only 32 
percent have actually ever worn the uniform. Increasing the amount of 
veterans they employ, while decreasing the amount of unemployed 
veterans, is a commonsense policy that benefits everyone.
  The number of claims for veterans' disability benefits that take more 
than 125 days to complete has reached 560,000 unresolved cases. The VA 
claims backlog is leaving too many disabled veterans waiting an average 
of six months to receive the disability benefits they have earned. 
Worse, the Integrated Disability Evaluation System, IDES, designed to 
make the transition from wounded warrior to veteran status more 
efficient, averages 394 days to process each veteran.
  Broadening the presence of veterans working for the VA will 
ultimately make the organization more responsive to the needs of our 
veterans. Having served in both the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps, I 
understand the strong bond of compassion shared between veterans of all 
uniforms and across all generations. There is a common culture, 
terminology and expectation of care among military personnel and 
veterans that have proven to be uncommon to civilians who struggle to 
connect with them. A dramatic increase in the number of veterans 
working at the VA is one solution to the systemic inefficiencies that 
have plagued the department and the reason I am introducing this bill.
  My bill will require the VA to consider all qualified veterans for a 
job. If the VA determines none of those candidates meet the 
qualifications, only then may they consider non-veteran candidates. The 
VA will still be required to submit an explanation to the Office of 
Personnel Management for all veterans passed-over, in accordance with 
current regulation. No qualifications for employment will be changed or 
reduced. Requiring the VA to explain their hiring decisions introduces 
greater transparency into the process.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues from both parties to 
fulfill our commitment to veterans by recognizing their increased value 
for employment in the VA.

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