Posted on 09/13/2012 12:55:41 PM PDT by mdittmar
Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding a Republican filibuster of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:
It’s Thursday, which means Republicans have once against forced the Senate to waste the better part of a week jumping through procedural hoops.
This week the Senate waited out yet another filibuster – the 380th filibuster in my six years as Majority Leader.
But this time Republicans aren’t just obstructing a measure that would create jobs.
They’re obstructing a measure that would create jobs for the men and women who have risked their lives over the last 11 years to protect our freedoms.
Each year 200,000 service members reenter the civilian workforce.
The Veterans Jobs Corps Act would invest in those returning veterans – easing the transition back to civilian life with job training programs and priority hiring for first responder positions.
If young veterans want to continue their service to country and community by becoming police officers, fire fighters or rescue workers, we should help them achieve that goal.
And this legislation would also create jobs for veterans restoring forests, parks, coasts and public lands.
The least we can do for those who have fought for this country abroad is to ensure they never have to fight for a job when they come home.
This is the kind of proposal that should sail through the Senate with bipartisan support.
Instead, it has met one Republican stall tactic after another.
Not only has this bill faced a string of procedural hurdles, Republicans have larded it up with unrelated, ideological amendments.
And while some of those amendments are certainly important, they don’t belong on any jobs measure, let alone a jobs measure that would assist returning veterans.
Unfortunately, I’m not surprised to see the GOP blocking a jobs bill.
After all, that’s been their tactic all year. In fact, it’s been their tactic for nearly four years.
The Republican Leader, Mitch McConnell, said so himself.
During the darkest days of the Great Recession, he said his number one goal was to defeat President Obama – not to create jobs or boost the economy.
And that’s still true today.
But I am dismayed to see them blocking a jobs bill aimed at protecting those who protect this nation.
This is a new low for Republicans.
At a time when 175,000 post-9/11 veterans are out of work, we can’t afford to waste time with election-year politics.
Less than three weeks before his death, John F. Kennedy wrote that, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
It is time for the Senate to show its gratitude to a new generation of veterans with deeds.
And so I hope my Republican colleagues will find it in themselves to put America’s veterans first and their political aspirations second.
If Reid’s lips are moving he is lying.
I’m surprised Harry Retard hasn’t used that excuse to why a Budget hasn’t been passed during his entire time as Senate Majority Leader.
“It is time for the Senate to show its gratitude to a new generation of veterans with deeds.”
You’re going to impeach Obama? Be still my heart!
My God, from 1607 to 2012, how on earth did we survive without the Veterans Jobs Corps Act??
When the House of Representatives sends dozens of jobs bills to the senate, they aren’t even given a vote. But a bill Reid prefers, now don’t dare hold that up!! This should be sailing through because we put a bleeding-heart name on it.
I’ve been a soldier and I’ve never needed any government program to get a job.
...”And this legislation would also create jobs for Veterans restoring forests,parks,coasts and public lands.”
Oh great,CCC camps are coming back.
You won't be able to say that this time next year Harry.
FU harry... I will party when you die MF’er.
LLS
No Reid, you stinking Rat, blocking our troops from having ammo, locked and loaded, is a new low for Democrats.
If the stimulus has taught us anything, is that government doesn’t create jobs. “Investment” in job training? I wonder who Reid has in mind to be the recipient of those funds. What do our troops need with job training? Don’t they already get that in the armed forces? And outside the armed forces, they have the gi bill which pays for their schooling.
Does anyone take anything this libtard-in-chief says seriously any more?
Harry Reid, I cannot think of a military member that - given the choice between eating a t*rd and meeting your sorry outmoded crooked sleezy self, would not gladly choose eating the t*rd.
The only filth worse than you on this earth is the Obamadork.
Go away and ceases consuming valuable oxygen.
One must understand: Harry “da thug” Reid is a high ranking official in The Democrat Antichrist Organized Crime Party. Nothing that proceeds from his tongue of corruption can be believed.
Just name the bar I will be there.
Any statement by a socialist democratic fraud should come with a 5 hour take back policy. It generally takes 5 hours +- for the REAL STORY TO COME OUT after these pathetic frauds open their lips.
By law Veterans have always been given preference in civil service jobs except where opposed by the unions.
I won’t spend ONE DIME in Las Vegas again as long as idiots in Nevada keep this guy in office.
You would have thought that after Obama spouted off and helped Vegas lose millions in cancelled conventions and lost tourism they’d have gone the other way and dumped Reid as they did his braindead son.
But no. So my semi-annual trips to Vegas are over.
I don’t care how awful that lady who won the GOP nomination was in campaigning...a rock covered in fungi is better than Harry.
Reminds me of the Hitchcock film “The Trouble With Harry”.
My treat!
LLS
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