[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17311]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING OUR NATION'S VETERANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, this past Friday was Veterans 
Day, the day we set aside to honor and remember the service of our 
Nation's veterans. I know that most of my colleagues attended veterans 
events throughout their districts. I was proud to be at the American 
Freedom Festival, honoring our veterans, at a jobs fair and a mega-
concert at George Mason University.
  Although Veterans Day originally honored those who fought in World 
War I, in 1954 it was expanded to include the remembrance of all 
veterans. And, indeed, every veteran deserves such honor. They all 
chose to risk their lives to protect us. They bravely answered the call 
of their Nation. But, sadly, too many died in defense of our freedom. 
Of course, such noble service would not be possible without the 
unwavering support of their families.
  America is safer because of our veterans, from those who served 
overseas to those stationed here at home. We properly award medals for 
individual heroic actions, but it is their daily dedication, courage, 
and valor that makes each and every one of them an American hero.
  There are more than 21 million veterans in the United States--73,000 
in my district, the 11th District of Virginia, alone. We celebrate 
their commitment and their sacrifice, from the Revolutionary War to the 
Iraq war.
  But our remembrance must not end simply by honoring their past 
service. Upon leaving the military, many veterans face significant 
challenges here at home. Although more must be done, the issue of 
providing care to our wounded veterans has been well documented. I was 
pleased to join many of my colleagues to support the largest single 
increase of funding for the Veterans Administration in history.
  However, there is a growing crisis among our veterans. And I want to 
call attention to the troubling unemployment rate for post-9/11 
veterans, which, at 12.4 percent, is one-third higher than the national 
average. And as the troops currently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan 
begin coming home, it will only get worse.
  These are America's heroes, men and women who risk their lives to 
protect our families. Congress repeatedly comes together in a 
bipartisan fashion to support our troops overseas. Ensuring that our 
troops have the equipment and personnel they need to accomplish their 
mission has been a priority, but it can't be the only priority. It is 
long past time that we show the same commitment to our veterans when 
they come home.
  More than one in nine veterans who left the service in the past 
decade is currently unemployed. Jobs have to be our top priority. We've 
got to move beyond lip service. If we really want to help our veterans, 
hire them.
  The President's American Jobs Act recognizes the overarching need to 
create jobs. Our economy cannot fully recover while so many Americans 
are unable to find work. The American Jobs Act provides incentives for 
companies, large and small, to hire additional workers, and it cuts 
taxes on every working American in order to further spur economic 
demand.
  Most importantly, the American Jobs Act provides additional 
incentives to companies when they hire veterans. The Returning Heroes 
Tax Credit cuts taxes for businesses that hire unemployed veterans. The 
Wounded Warriors Tax Credit offers even greater tax cuts to businesses 
who hire unemployed veterans with service-connected disabilities. These 
dedicated men and women aren't looking for a handout; they're looking 
for an opportunity. And the Senate has already acted on a number of 
these proposals by the President.
  I call on my colleagues to remember that recognizing and honoring the 
sacrifices of our veterans doesn't stop when they leave the service. 
They need jobs, and they need them now.

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