[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16658]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    VETERANS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ACT

  (Mr. BILIRAKIS asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about jobs. 
Millions of Americans are hurting and in need of work. Our Nation's 
veterans have been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn. With 
Veterans Day approaching, it is heartbreaking to see so many of our 
Nation's heroes suffering. Nearly 1 million veterans are unemployed 
right now, and their unemployment rate exceeds the rest of the Nation.
  We must act now, Mr. Speaker. Here in the House, we have passed the 
Veterans Opportunity to Work Act. This legislation takes an all-
encompassing approach that incorporates education and training, 
eliminates roadblocks in the system, and helps veterans compete in a 
21st-century economy.
  Putting our veterans back to work is something we can all agree on, 
Mr. Speaker; and I encourage the Senate to address this important 
issue.

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