(Washington, D.C.) –
Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) spoke on the Senate floor to honor the
men and women who died serving our country in the armed forces. She discussed
the need to take care of our nation’s veterans, and she urged her colleagues to
pass her legislation to help veterans get back on the job.
The
full text of the speech follows:
“Mr.
President, I come to the floor today to honor and commemorate the men and women
who died fighting for our great country.
“Memorial
Day is a day to honor those American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for
our nation.
“It’s
because of their sacrifice that we can safely enjoy the freedoms our great
country offers. And it is because of their unmatched commitment that America
can remain a beacon for democracy and freedom throughout the world.
“Mr.
President, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, but also a day for reflection.
When our brave men and women volunteered to protect our nation, we promised
them that we would take care of them and their families when they return home.
“On
this Memorial Day, we need to ask ourselves, are we doing enough for our
nation’s veterans?
“Making
sure our veterans can find jobs when they come home is an area where we could
do more.
“For
too long, we have been investing billions of dollars training our young men and
women to protect our nation, only to ignore them when they come home.
“For
too long, we have patted them on the back and pushed them into the job market
with no support. This is simply unacceptable, and it doesn’t meet the
promise we made to our servicemembers.
“Mr.
President, our hands-off approach has left us with an unemployment rate of over
27% among young veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.
“That
is over one in five of our nation’s heroes who can’t find a job to support
their family, and who don’t have an income to provide the stability that is so
critical to their transition home.
“That’s
why earlier this month I introduced the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, which was
cosponsored by 17 senators and garnered bipartisan support.
“This
legislation will rethink the way we support our men and women in uniform when
they come home looking for jobs.
“I
introduced this critical legislation because I’ve heard first-hand from so many
veterans that we haven’t done enough to provide them with the support they need
to find work.
“I’ve
heard from medics who return home from treating battlefield wounds who can’t
get certifications to be an EMT or to drive an ambulance. And I’ve even had
veterans tell me that they no longer write that they’re a veteran on their
resume because they fear the stigma they believe employers attach to the
invisible wounds of war.
“These
stories are as heartbreaking as they are frustrating. But more than anything
they’re a reminder that we have to act now.
“Mr.
President, my bill would allow our servicemembers to capitalize on their
service.
“For
the first time, it would require broad job skills training for everyone leaving
the military as part of the military’s Transition Assistance Program. Today,
nearly one-third of those leaving the Army don’t get this training.
“My
bill would also require the Department of Labor to take a hard look at what
military skills and training should be translatable into the civilian sector,
and will work to make it simpler to get the licenses and certification our
veterans need.
“All
of these are real, substantial steps to put our veterans to work. All of
them come at a pivotal time for our economic recovery and our veterans.
“Mr.
President, I grew up with the Vietnam War, and I have dedicated much of my
Senate career helping to care for the veterans we left behind at that time.
“The
mistakes we made then have cost our nation and our veterans dearly. Today we
risk repeating those mistakes.
“We
can’t let that happen again. Our nation’s veterans are disciplined, team
players who have proven they can deliver under pressure like no one else.
“Mr.
President, let’s not let another year, and another Memorial Day, go by without
us delivering for them.
“Thank
you. I yield the floor.”
English 
Spanish