Implementing the Hire Act

Floor Speech

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, as more and more of our brave warriors return from Afghanistan, more and more of them are looking for work. It's our duty as a Nation to make sure that we're doing everything possible to get these troops reemployed. That's why I'd like to applaud both the Senate and the House for including in the National Defense Authorization Act the Helping Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Return to Employment, the HIRE Act.

What it does is establish a very commonsense process that encourages State credentialing authorities to consider certain military occupational training when granting licenses. It makes absolutely no sense to force a battlefield medic to spend time and Federal dollars taking redundant training to be an EMT. It makes no sense for a State agency that wouldn't count hundreds of hours driving heavy equipment in Afghanistan to get a CDL license. The Department of Defense spends $140 billion a year training our military personnel, the best in the world. It would be ludicrous to not use that investment to get them jobs here at home.

Eight States have already passed legislation to develop the process. I encourage Members of Congress, talk to their State and their Governor to get this done.

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