[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 21759-21760]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          ENSURING EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 15, 1999

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to speak in favor of 
equal employment opportunities for our veterans.
  Today, we are in a time of economic growth that our nation has not 
seen in more than thirty years. With each day that passes, our citizens 
are reaping the benefits of this growth, but our economic recovery has 
not benefitted everyone equally. Most Americans agree that every human 
being has basic rights, including the rights to life, liberty and the 
pursuit of happiness. The key to having these basic rights is

[[Page 21760]]

economic opportunity. This includes the opportunity to have a good job 
that pays a livable wage.
  Equal employment opportunity is when an employer treats its job 
applicants without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national 
origin, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status.
  If economic opportunity is the key to ensuring life, liberty and the 
pursuit of happiness, how do we ensure economic opportunity regardless 
of veteran status?
  The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance 
Programs, the California Department of Veterans Affairs and the 
Employment Development Department, along with many other local and 
state agencies, are committed to ensuring that U.S. veterans gain 
access to equal employment opportunities and affirmative action 
programs.
  A symposium to discuss these opportunities will take place today in 
San Francisco, California. The topics of this symposium will include 
federal requirements for employment solicitations, veteran preference 
in Federal and State employment vs. obligations as a Federal 
contractor, vocational rehabilitation and/or state rehabilitation, and 
service-connected disabilities vs. disabilities covered under the 
Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.
  I am confident that the outcome of the topics discussed at this 
symposium will open economic and employment opportunities for our 
veterans like never before, so that they too can fully participate in 
our nation's economic growth.

                          ____________________