Departments of labor, Health and Human Services, and Educaton, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2005

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005 -- (House of Representatives - September 08, 2004)

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 754 and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 5006.

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AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MS. HOOLEY OF OREGON

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

The Clerk read as follows:

Amendment offered by Ms. Hooley of Oregon:

In title I, in the item relating to "DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT-VETERANS EMPLOYMENT AND
TRAINING", after the aggregate dollar amount, insert the following: "(increased by $5,000,000)".

In title II, in the item relating to "OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT", after the aggregate dollar amount, insert the following: "(reduced by $5,000,000)".

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I think the gentlewoman has a good amendment here. We are prepared to accept this, and I think in light of all the circumstances, the need for veterans' employment and training is growing, and, therefore, I think this is a very positive amendment, and we would be willing to accept it at this point.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for accepting the amendment.

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Chairman, we also would be happy to accept it on this side of the aisle. It is a good amendment.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, just very briefly, this is so our Guard and Reserves can go back to the job they left when they went overseas. The men and women of our Armed Forces fought for their country. They should not have to fight for their jobs when they return home, and I thank them for accepting the amendment.

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Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Hooley amendment.

All of us are incredibly grateful to the men and women of our armed forces, including members of the National Guard and Reserves. Thousands of our Guard members and Reserves have been activated, taking them away not only from their families, but from their jobs, as well.

The Hooley amendment provides $5 million to the Department of Labor Veteran's Employment and Training Program, specifically for a nationwide campaign to educate America's employers about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

USERRA spells out the responsibilities of employers of members of the National Guard and Reserve, and it explains the employment rights of those members. However, many employees and employers do not know about USERRA.

Mr. Chairman, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has estimated that 70 percent of military reservists called to active-duty work in small or medium-size companies.

In response, I introduced H.R. 4477 with the bipartisan support of U.S. Representative JEB BRADLEY. H.R. 4477 is a simple, straightforward bill, and it complements the Hooley amendment. My bill seeks to promote understanding between employees and employers when it comes to their rights and obligations under USERRA. H.R. 4477 would require the Department of Labor to produce a poster-similar to the Family and Medical Leave poster-for employers to post at work sites.

Mr. Chairman, many employers across the country either do not know about USERRA, or they are only vaguely aware of it. By not complying with USERRA, employers put themselves at risk of facing Department of Labor investigations. By educating employers and employees before potential violations, we can protect employers from costly litigation, potential fines, and public embarrassment.

Mr. Chairman, H.R. 4477 would not create additional paper work or burden employers with difficult Department of Labor requirements. In fact, H.R. 4477 is an effort to educate employers and keep them from unknowingly breaking existing law.

Mr. Chairman, I commend U.S. Representative HOOLEY for bringing her amendment to the floor today. By educating employers and employees about USERRA, we can assist them in working out any potential conflicts before employees are activated. I urge adoption of the Hooley amendment.

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