California is home to more than two million veterans, many of whom are facing serious challenges transitioning back to civilian life – particularly when it comes to finding a job. A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs study reported that 18% of the veterans who sought jobs within one to three years of discharge are unemployed, while one out of four veterans who did find jobs earned less than $21,840 a year. Manuel knows California can do better in serving its veterans.
As Chair of the Jobs Committee and a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Manuel has put a spotlight on the state’s poor performance when it comes to our veterans. By way of example, there are millions of federal dollars owed to California veterans. We need to more effectively identify them and link them to these federal benefits. This is money that our veterans have already earned – they just need to access it. Not only would these funds provide direct help to individual service members, but they are a stimulus to our local economies.
Manuel has both advocated for and authored legislation to improve accountability and coordination in the state’s workforce programming for veterans. He also has reached out locally to veterans groups in both Riverside and Imperial counties to hear directly from them about their specific needs in serving the many generations of veterans living in our region.