Veterans' Small Business Assistance And Service Members Protection Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 3949, which was on the floor of the House today. I was delayed in coming to Washington because I was meeting with my union members to talk about jobs. Yet I am excited about this legislation that Chairman Filner has brought to the floor, and I thank him for his leadership, which involves protecting and providing for service members. There are currently 25 million veterans--1,630,000 in Texas with 34,000 veterans living in my community.

I am very proud that he put into the bill my vision impairment bill, which will provide for scholarships to help train those who can work with the visually impaired service veterans, many of whom have suffered from the IED explosions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

It would also protect parents who can be buried with their children. It will keep service members from being evicted or from being foreclosed on when they're serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Then of course it will provide for small businesses of veterans preferred to be on the list so that they can obtain businesses or business opportunities in the United States Government.

This is very important for the upcoming Veterans Day. We must celebrate our veterans, and I am very grateful that my vision impaired bill is in this bill, H.R. 3949.

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