Congressman Gus Bilirakis Co-Sponsors Bi-Partisan Troop Talent Act of 2013

Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 30, 2013 - 2:14pm

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilriakis, R-Fla., has joined Reps. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Takano, D-Calif., as a co-sponsor of the Troop Talent Act of 2013.

The bill seeks to facilitate service members transition from active duty to the civilian workforce and to reduce the veterans unemployment rate. A companion bill was also recently introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., in the U.S. Senate.

One of the challenges our service members face is how to match their professional military skills and technical training with civilian jobs, Bilirakis said in a statement announcing his co-sponsorship Tuesday. As our veterans make the transition from the battlefield to civilian life, we must continue to make them a top priority and ensuring they are able to compete in todays technologically evolving economy is paramount.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for recent Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was 9.2 percent in March 2013, higher than the 7.6 percent national average. The number of veterans receiving unemployment benefits has also doubled since 2002.

The Troop Talent Act of 2013 seeks to improve the alignment of specialty skills acquired in the military with civilian certifications or licenses, to expand existing efforts to meet current workforce demands, and to implement quality assurance measures to ensure credentials translate into the private sector.

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