[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                VETERANS ACHIEVE JOBS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, just 5 years ago, South 
Carolina veterans struggled to find a job, facing an unemployment rate 
of over 20 percent. Today, veteran unemployment has dropped to just 4.4 
percent, one of the lowest in the country. Veterans have unique 
training, education, and experiences that are valuable to any 
workplace.
  Last month I hosted the fourth annual Veteran Resource Fairs in the 
Midlands and the Aiken/Barnwell communities. These resource fairs bring 
together over 40 agencies and employers to help returned veterans find 
a job.
  I was grateful to partner with Operation Palmetto Employment under 
the leadership of Program Director Elisa Edwards, the South Carolina 
Army National Guard with Colonel Ronnie Taylor, Shannon Banks, Fred 
Pasley, led by Adjutant General Bob Livingston, and the Department of 
Employment and Workforce directed by Cheryl Stanton.
  I appreciate the work of the community leaders; the National 
Federation of Independent Business, NFIB; and the U.S. Chamber of 
Commerce for their work promoting efforts to hire veterans. I believe 
that we should assist those who defend our freedoms to be a top 
priority.
  In conclusion, God bless our troops, and may the President by his 
actions never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

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