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Remarks Delivered by
U.S. Secretary of Labor
Elaine L. Chao
Department of Labor's Salute to Veterans
Frances Perkins
Building
Washington, D.C.
Thursday, November 2, 2006
Good morning! Thank you, Chick, for that warm introduction.
And thank you, Deputy Secretary Mansfield and General Wherley, for
joining us today.
This morning we honor the outstanding men and women who have served in
our Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserves.
They are the best and brightest our country has to offer. Their patriotism,
sense of duty, commitment, and sacrifice make our freedom and our way of life
possible.
More than 43 million Americans have answered the call to defend our
freedom during our nation's history. Today, more than 165,000 are fighting in
the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. And they are making real progress.
Over the past five years, U.S. and Coalition forces have helped
dismantle global terrorist organizations and networks. They have trained Iraqi
security forces. They have helped build schools and the infrastructure required
to provide clean, running water and electricity. And they are playing a
critical role in securing stability in the region on behalf of the
newly-elected democratic government.
The United States' military is the finest and most capable in the
world. And its greatest assets are its people. These men and women proudly
answer their nation's call to service — and quietly accept the sacrifices
required of them. We owe them a debt of gratitude. At the Department of Labor,
we are proud to play a role in helping these courageous men and women access
the resources and services to succeed in the 21st century workforce.
And our nation's economy is providing many opportunities for these
dedicated, talented men and women. We've had 37 straight months of job growth.
Over 6.6 million net new jobs have been created in the last three years —
more than Europe and Japan combined. The national unemployment rate is 4.6
percent — a full percentage point lower than the 5.7 percent unemployment
rate in the decade of the 1990s. The Department is committed to helping our
nation's veterans access these growing opportunities.
Last year, I announced the first-ever regulations implementing the
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994
— known as USERRA. The goal of this legislation is to
protect the employment and reemployment rights of veterans returning to the
private sector after active-duty. The regulations helped clarify the law and
improve enforcement mechanisms. There has been a significant reduction in the
number of employment-related complaints from returning members of the Reserve
and National Guard — down 31 percent since the Gulf War. That's an
important achievement, although there is still more to do.
Each year, about 318,000 military members return to civilian status.
The Veterans Employment Training Service (VETS) helps them transition into the
civilian sector by providing job placement and employment assistance. Through
the TAP program, the Department offers veterans a wide variety of
services nationwide through the Department's 3,500 One-Stop Career Centers and
through job fairs and workshops held in the U.S. and other locations around the
world. TAP participants have found jobs three times sooner than
service members who do not take advantage of this important program.
In addition, the Department's HireVetsFirst campaign has
helped employers appreciate the value of hiring veterans. Our men and women in
uniform are known for their intelligence, strong work ethic, discipline and
leadership. They have the highly marketable professional qualities that
employers are looking for.
Next week, the Department will hold the first-ever National
Veterans Employment Summit in Norfolk, Virginia. This one-day summit
will bring together America's top employers and senior government officials.
Speakers will talk about the value veterans bring to the workforce. They will
offer useful tips for recruiting and retaining them. And panel sessions will be
held to help employers understand their responsibilities under
USERRA, and share other important information.
During this summit, the Department will also host a
HireVetsFirst Job Fair. 65 companies are expected to participate.
Our goal is to ensure more veterans have access to the opportunities being
created in our knowledge-based economy.
Let me also mention the Department's pioneering
REALifelines program. It is making a tremendous difference in the
lives of our wounded and injured service members. REALifelines
provides one-on-one job training, counseling, and re-employment services to
every veteran seriously injured or wounded in the War on Terror. This important
program has helped numerous men and women build new careers.
The Department of Labor is especially proud of the members of our DOL
family who have served on active duty or in the National Guard or Reserves. In
October 2005, I signed the Statement of Support with the National Committee for
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. I am so pleased to have been the
first non-defense member of the President's Cabinet to sign it on behalf of our
citizen-soldiers.
I am also proud of the "Adopt-a-Unit" partnership General Wherley and I
signed in November of 2003. Through this partnership, the Department recognizes
the contributions of these service members and their families and provides the
families with support when the unit is deployed.
The men and women who serve in our Armed Forces make our freedom and
our way of life possible. Our country is free, and a better and safer place
because of them. We owe each of them a debt of gratitude that can never be
repaid. They are there for us; we need to be there for them.
Before I close, I would ask everyone who has served in the military to
please stand or raise your hand.
Let us all give them a round of applause. Thank you for your service to
our country and for keeping us free and strong.
May God bless you all, and may God bless America.
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