JULY 29, 1999

MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE:

On behalf of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and its women’s auxiliary, I am privileged to appear before you today to present the organization’s views on the effectiveness and strategic planning of the Department of Labor’s (DoL’s) Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS).

The overall mission of VETS is to help veterans, reservists, and national guard members in securing employment, training, and the employment rights and benefits associated with their military service. Some key elements of their mission include:

• Enforcement: resolution of claims by veterans, reservists, and national guard members under the Uniformed Services’ Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
  
• Veterans’ Preference: with the enactment of Public Law 105-339, the responsibility for investigating veterans’ preference complaints under title 5, United States Code, was transferred from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to VETS.
  
• Employment and Training Assistance: the provision of services to eligible veterans and transitioning service members in accordance with grant agreements with states, mainly State Employment Service Administrators (SESAs), local governments, and non-profit agencies.
  
• Public Information Services: the compilation, synthesis, and provision of information regarding the rights and obligations of employers and protected individuals, the employment and training program services available, and results achieved by VETS internal and external customers and service delivery partners.
  
• Interagency Liason: The establishment and maintenance of effective service delivery networks involving other agencies and organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors.
  
• Training: the development and delivery by the National Veterans’ Training Institute (NVTI) of specific professional skills and program-oriented curricula to service providers’ staffs and managers.

As an organization of more that one million men and women disabled in our Nation’s defense, the DAV is dedicated to one, single purpose: building better lives for all our Nation’s disabled veterans and their families. DAV is interested in the transition of our separating veterans into the civilian workforce, and the availability of meaningful employment opportunities for service-connected disabled veterans, and veterans with critical barriers to employment. We are pleased with the advocacy of VETS in its approach to helping veterans. This mission has been accomplished through the development and oversight of training programs through grants to states and non-profit organizations. VETS further serves the employment and retraining needs of veterans by establishing and enforcing job referral control mechanisms imposed on state employment service agencies, as well as investigating complaints of violation of reemployment rights against employers.

Mr. Chairman, separating servicemembers face many barriers to employment and re-employment in the civilian job market. This is because civilian credentialing requirements do not recognize their military training and experience although many of the qulifications and skills are the same or similar. This inability to meet federal, state, or private sector civilian job requirements or standards has precluded separating servicemembers from realizing the full benefits of their military training and experience.

Mr. Chairman, in its report, the Congressional Commission on Servicemembers and Veterans Transition Assistance asserts the Congress must provide transitioning servicemembers with the means and opportunity to succeed in their civilian lives and to invest their talent and ability in the American economy. In April 1998, the DoL and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) formed a Task Force on Certification and Licensing of Transitioning Military Personnel. This task force is representative of departments and agencies of the Federal government, including the Department of Defense and all military branches. The Task Force has helped members learn about the licensing activities of these agencies and has created initiatives between agencies to assist active duty personnel and veterans to more easily acquire licenses needed for civilian employment (such as FAA licenses needed for aircraft and airframe mechanics).

The Task Force has established state pilot programs on certification and licensing in Ohio, Georgia, Colorado, Maryland, and South Carolina for occupations such as health care, law enforcement, commercial drivers, metalworking, power plant operators, emergency medical technicians, and building trades.

Mr. Chairman, we believe VETS should be commended for its participation in this area and would hope this committee would join us in applauding its efforts.

DAV also supports VETS’ efforts with the Microsoft Skills 2000 Military Information Technology career initiative introduced in February 1999. This program leads interested service members with knowledge of and aptitude for computers through a special program designed for transitioning servicemembers, which includes classes that lead to Skills 2000 Certificates in several different information technology fields. This appears to be an excellent program which will only strengthen VETS strategic goals.

Mr. Chairman, Congress has determined that our Nation has a responsibility to meet the employment and training needs of veterans. To accomplish these goals, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training (ASVET) is authorized to implement training and employment programs for veterans. The ASVET is also responsible for ensuring the availability of sufficient funds for use in each state to support the appointment of Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialists (DVOPs) and Local Veteran Employment Representatives (LVERs), the Joint Training Partnership Act (JTPA), the National Veterans Training Institute (NVTI), the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, and other programs.

VETS’ budget provides funds to support 1,431 DVOP positions, 688 below the congressionally-mandated level and 1,306 LVER positions, 294 below mandated levels. Several years ago someone coined the term "voodoo economics." On reading the budget information provided by the Department of Labor for VETS for fiscal year (FY) 2000 in the categories of LVER and DVOP and upon finding additional information, the term "voodoo economics" comes to mind.

Mr. Chairman, although we support VETS’ mission and its strategic plan, we question whether, under its proposed budget, if VETS will have the resources necessary to fulfill its existing and future goals.

Mr. Chairman, I again want to thank you and Committee for the opportunity to present the views of DAV.