Speeches by Secretary Elaine L. Chao
Archived Speech — Caution: Information may be out of date.
Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S.
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Salute to Veterans
U.S. Department Of
Labor
Tuesday, November 9, 2004
Thank you, Fred [Juarbe].
Good morning, everyone!
We have a terrific program planned for you today.
First, I want to thank Daniel Austin, who sang the national anthem. Wasn't he great?
I also want to thank Major General David Wherley, Commander of the D.C. National Guard, for leading the Pledge of Allegiance, and Lieutenant Dan Nichols for his invocation.
And I want to welcome the Executive Director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mr. Bob Wallace, who will be our keynote speaker. Thank you for joining us today, Bob. And I want to acknowledge the other distinguished leaders of our nation's veterans organizations who are with us today. Thank you for joining us!
This is a special celebration honoring Veterans and Veterans Day. It is one of the most inspirational programs we have at the Department. Since 9/11, this day of remembrance has taken on even greater significance. It reminds us that we have men and women in uniform in harm's way, protecting our freedom.
These courageous heroes-and their families-are in our thoughts and our prayers today, and every day.
Veterans Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate the invaluable contributions that our military veterans-and their families-have made to our nation. They are the ones who put themselves on the line for freedom, and we owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude.
When our men and women in uniform come home and re-enter the civilian workforce, they bring with them dedication, discipline and high-quality skills. They are a tremendous asset. That's why the theme of this year's celebration-"Recognizing the Value Veterans Bring to the Workforce"-is so appropriate.
We are fortunate to have more than 3,200 veterans, reservists and National Guard members working at the Department of Labor. I want to thank each and every one of them for their service to our country. They are making a tremendous contribution to advancing our mission at the Labor Department, just as they made a tremendous contribution to protecting our freedom.
In particular, I want to thank the dedicated team at the Veterans Employment Training Service-led by Assistant Secretary Fred Juarbe and Deputy Assistant Secretary Chic Ciccolella. They have done so much to support the President's National Hire Veterans Committee. This committee helps raise awareness among employers of the tremendous skills and talents that veterans bring to the table.
It's more important than ever before that employers know about this pool of highly skilled, motivated workers. The economy is creating new jobs- we've seen nearly 2.4 million new jobs created since August 2003. But many of these jobs require advanced skills and some employers cannot find workers with the skills to fill these jobs. There is no better place to look for highly skilled workers than our veterans.
Many employers already embrace the message of this campaign. I recently announced a Department of Labor partnership with the Home Depot to provide job opportunities for America's returning soldiers and their spouses. And Governors in states around the country, including Florida, Ohio, Alabama and Connecticut, are holding events to raise awareness among employers in their states. Many are issuing proclamations on Veterans Day, as President George W. Bush has done, to point out the benefits of hiring veterans.
It's part of this Administration's commitment to doing everything we can to protect and promote the rights of our citizen-soldiers who have been called up for active duty.
The Department of Labor enforces USERRA-the law that protects the jobs, health insurance coverage and pension benefits of our citizen soldiers. Since September 11, 2001, the Department has reached out aggressively to Guard and Reserve units, employer groups and the media to make sure they understand clearly their rights and responsibilities under USERRA.
The Labor Department has recently taken action to make the USERRA law even more understandable or "user friendly" to everyone by publishing proposed regulations. These proposed rules are written in plain English, are comprehensive and provide clear and consistent guidance on how the law applies to employers and employees alike. A newly signed agreement with the Justice Department will strengthen the enforcement of the law against employers who refuse to honor their commitments to our troops.
As a result of these efforts-and the patriotism of the American people-I am proud to say that the number of Service Members experiencing re-employment problems is less than it was during the last major military call up-Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
And the Department is successfully resolving more than 93 percent of reemployment cases without the need for enforcement action and lengthy litigation. This means we are helping veterans get back to work quickly. Our men and women in uniform are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom.
They are there for us when we need them. Now it's our turn to be there for them.
For the sacrifices they make, for the dangers they face, for the balance they strike between warrior and peacemaker, they deserve our country's highest thanks. And they deserve our best efforts on their behalf when they return. So, thank you for joining us in honoring America's veterans.
God bless you, and God bless America.
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Archived Speech — Caution: Information may be out of date.
