[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 78 (Thursday, May 22, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E818]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL 
                               YEAR 2015

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 21, 2014

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4435) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2015 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     such fiscal year, and for other purposes:

  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong support of 
the McMorris Rodgers/Bishop amendment to the National Defense 
Authorization Act. As co-chairs of the Congressional Military Family 
Caucus, we are committed to supporting military families. Our amendment 
highlights a growing issue for military spouses: that of unemployment 
and underemployment.
  Military spouses face a unique lifestyle marked by frequent moves, 
increased family responsibility during deployments, and limited career 
opportunities in certain geographic locations. These circumstances make 
it especially tough for those who want to build a portable career that 
matches their skills, including their education and experience.
  According to a recent DoD survey, the unemployment rate for civilians 
married to a military member is 25 percent--and climbs to 33 percent 
for spouses of junior enlisted members. In contrast, the average 
unemployment rate for individuals 20 years and over is 6.1 percent. A 
recent Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)/Institute for 
Veterans and Military Families' (IVMF) Military Spouse Employment 
Report looked beyond unemployment, finding that 9 out of 10 female 
military spouses who are employed possess more formal education or 
experience than is needed in their current position. Many spend years 
obtaining a degree or developing an area of expertise, only to find 
that they must be relicensed or recertified each time they move across 
state lines. For medical professionals, nurses, attorneys, teachers, 
and numerous others, the financial and emotional burden is too much. 
Their circumstances make it difficult to build a retirement fund, or 
get the promotion or tenure they would obtain in civilian life.
  DoD has demonstrated its commitment to helping military spouses 
obtain employment by establishing several programs, including the 
Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), a computer portal that 
connects companies with military spouses seeking employment. Since 
MSEP's launch in June 2011, more than 61,000 military spouses have 
obtained jobs through the program. DoD presently collects data on the 
number of businesses participating in MSEP and the number of military 
spouses placed in a job through the program. However, information is 
not available on the types of jobs obtained and whether they are 
commensurate with an applicant's experience or education.
  Our amendment would require DoD to begin gathering this data, which 
will equip us to better address the complex employment challenges of 
military spouses.
  I applaud DoD for its significant progress in addressing military 
spouse unemployment. Yet, we have a continuing responsibility to make 
sure our programs are as effective as possible. I urge my colleagues to 
support our amendment to enhance efforts to address military spouse 
unemployment and underemployment.

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