Press Release - Sen. Talent Kicks-Off National Veterans Conference in St. Louis

Press Release - Sen. Talent Kicks-Off National Veterans Conference in St. Louis

(ST. LOUIS) U.S. Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today addressed over 200 veterans at Pathfinders 2006, a three-day conference aimed to help veterans get the resources they need to start their own business. Last month, Sen. Talent was presented with the "2006 Patriot Legislator" award from the Association for Service-Disabled Veterans (ASDV) for his leadership and advocacy on veterans' entrepreneurship opportunities and health care for military personnel. The award is given each year to members of Congress who have worked on behalf of service-disabled veterans who have been injured while serving their country.

"For years I've worked to create a plan for veterans to have access to resources for starting their own business," said Sen. Talent. "Veterans Business Resource Centers, such as the one here in St. Louis, will make it possible for millions of veterans nationwide and more than a half-million Missouri veterans to access small business loans, training, resources and other assistance to help them realize their dream of owning and operating a small business."

"Veterans of the nation who are taking advantage of government programs that foster entrepreneurship would never have gotten the opportunity if it were not for Sen. Jim Talent," said John K. Lopez, Chairman of the Association for Service-Disabled Veterans. "He made it a personal initiative to make certain that those individuals disabled in the service to our country would be able to receive rehabilitation services necessary to enable them to contribute to the American economy and improve their quality of life."

"From his days in the House to his time in the Senate, few constituencies get more attention than the veteran's community," said Brad Scott, GSA Regional Administrator. "Senator Talent has always been in the forefront in providing opportunities to veterans."

While serving as Chairman of the Small Business Committee in the U.S. House, then-Congressman Jim Talent authored legislation (Public Law 106-50) to establish a network of Business Centers for Veteran Entrepreneurs and Service-Disabled Veterans who want to start their own business or grow their existing small business. The ASDV played a critical role in drafting the legislation. The Vietnam Veterans of America testified that the law has the potential to be the most significant veterans' legislation enacted since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944.

On June 7, 2004, the nation's first veterans' business resource center opened in Missouri. The St. Louis Veterans Business Resource Center is helping Missouri veterans gain the expertise and resources they need to realize their dream of owning and operating their own small business.

Sen. Talent worked with U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y) to pass the Military Heath Readiness Act, which requires pre- and post-deployment blood samples, and a thorough post-deployment health assessment. The legislation provides a before-and-after assessment of the medical fitness of every service member deployed to a theater of war. The results can then be compared to help determine whether or not an individual, or their unit, was exposed to a dangerous substance or pathogen.

Sen. Talent championed legislation in the House making chiropractic care available to active duty personnel. The Department of Defense is implementing this program across the services. Sen. Talent also supported legislation to allow veterans access to chiropractic care under the Department of Veterans Affairs.

http://www.talent.senate.gov/News/singleNews.cfm?NewsID=1819