[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E91]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SUPPORTING VETERANS IN STEM CAREERS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 27, 2020

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, as a senior member of the House 
Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Homeland Security, I rise in 
strong support of S. 153, the ``Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers 
Act.''
  It is with the great sacrifice of the men and women, who have served 
in our armed forces and protected our freedom in mind that I urge 
members on both sides of the aisle to vote in favor this bill.
  We often hear about the many difficulties veterans face while 
attempting to transition back to civilian life.
  From physical and mental trauma to unemployment to the struggles 
associated with refamiliarizing themselves with civilian life, veterans 
face many obstacles in life after service.
  With respect to employment, nearly one-third of veteran job seekers 
are underemployed, which is 15.6 percent higher than non-veteran job 
seekers.
  In addition, the Texas Workforce Investment Council reported that in 
2017, 35,734 veterans remained unemployed.
  In 2019, LinkedIn published its Veteran's Opportunity Report, which 
stated that veterans who had degrees as well as four or more years of 
experience were less likely to land the job than less-experienced 
civilians who applied for the same role.
  I am voting in favor of S. 153 because it seeks to address that 
barrier by encouraging veterans to study and pursue rewarding careers 
in science, technology, engineering, and math as well as by creating an 
interagency working group.
  This group is tasked with coordinating federal programs for 
transitioning and training veterans for STEM careers.
  By facilitating this process, veterans will be able to have a 
meaningful career that utilizes their skillsets and secures their 
livelihood.
  In addition, S. 153 will result in filling thousands of open 
positions and contribute to growing our economy.
  Today, STEM careers are growing at an unprecedented rate.
  Texas is home to more than three-quarters of a million great STEM 
jobs.
  In fact, Texas is expected to represent nearly 10 percent of future 
STEM opportunities in the nation.
  According to a study by Syracuse University in 2018, Texas possesses 
the largest percentages of veterans working in the STEM workforce.
  At the state-level, 9 percent of veterans work in STEM.
  Yet, the report states that 18.66 percent of veterans in Houston are 
employed in STEM.
  Throughout my tenure In Congress, I have strongly supported veterans.
  With that in mind, I authored and introduced the ``Helping to 
Encourage Real Opportunity for Veterans Transitioning from Battlespace 
to Workplace Act'', or the HEROES Act, in previous congresses.
  Through my advocacy work with veterans, I have come to understand 
that one of the greatest barriers to entry for veterans seeking 
employment is that civilian employers do not adequately understand how 
the skills, experience, and training of veterans can contribute in the 
private sector.
  In an effort to address this problem, the HEROES Act creates a 
Military Skills Translator Database to remove that obstacle and better 
incorporate veterans into the workforce, especially in fields like 
STEM.
  I strongly believe that we must come together and address the 
barriers that prevent veterans from re-entering the workforce.
  It is imperative that we, the American people, continuously recognize 
the sacrifices these men and women have made to ensure our freedom and 
safety.
  We must take it upon ourselves to try and ease the burdensome 
transition that thousands of veterans' experience.
  And so, I ask all members from both parties to join me in voting to 
pass S. 153.

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