Editorial

By DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

After almost nine years of incredible service and sacrifice, America’s war in Iraq has finally come to an end. We have more troops returning home each day, and as they do, we must pay tribute to the men and women who have sacrificed so much.

Since America started deploying troops in 2001, Florida has had more than 226,000 men and women sent overseas, the second highest of any state in the country. We now have 23 million veterans living across our country, and Florida is home to more than 1.6 million of them.

We face difficult and diverse challenges in helping all our military men and women, whether they are veterans fifty years removed from their service, currently on active duty, or in the reserves. This never has been more true than it is today.

As our men and women return home, we must ensure that they have access to the help they need to transition to civilian life and that they are taken care of when it comes to healthcare, housing and caring for their families. In this difficult economy with so many out of work, we must do more to help. This summer, the number of unemployed veterans nationwide reached 1 million. At nearly 20 percent, the unemployment rate for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is significantly higher than the national unemployment rate. This is unacceptable.

After serving our country honorably and courageously, the last thing our veterans and guardsmen should have to worry about when they finally come home to their loved ones is whether or not they will be able to find a job.

That is why I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Hiring Our Veterans Act which would help get veterans back to work.

I also applaud President Obama’s efforts to relieve unemployment among our veterans, and to support our military families. Just before Thanksgiving, the president signed two new tax credits into law. The Returning Heroes Tax Credit is a new hiring tax credit that provides an incentive for businesses to hire unemployed veterans. The Wounded Warrior Tax Credit doubles the existing tax credit for long-term unemployed veterans with service-connected disabilities. And, thanks to the Veterans Employment Initiative, we have some encouraging news — the federal government has hired the highest percentage of veterans in more than 20 years.

Here in Florida, we need to work together to encourage South Florida businesses to make hiring veterans a greater priority. That’s why U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., and I co-hosted a Veterans Jobs Fair earlier this month. Hundreds of veterans and military families were able to learn more about employment opportunities in the area and had a chance to meet with more than 56 potential employers. We look forward to working together to hold additional job fairs in the coming year.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz represents the 20th Congressional District of Florida.