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"While this bill is welcomed, we can do better in fulfilling our obligation to these brave men and women. Over 877,000 American veterans are unemployed, through no fault of their own. I call on my colleagues in Congress to do more. President Obama’s American Jobs Act offers companies smart incentives to hire veterans, and it deserves passage right now."

Garamendi continued, "Public policy is about choices -- and this is an easy one to make. Instead of lavishing billions more on billion-dollar oil companies, 'the Supercommittee' should focus on creating jobs and strengthening the middle class."

"The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is critical to sustaining the life of communities across California and is an ecosystem of national significance," said Congressman John Garamendi (CA-10). "I have worked for decades to protect this vital resource by building consensus and including all stakeholders. By contrast, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan has been an exclusionary closed-door operation on a recklessly short time table. The current Memorandum of Agreement must be rescinded and a new agreement forged, so that all interested parties have equal standing in the Bay Delta Conservation Plan process. I join my colleagues in calling for an open, inclusive and deliberative process that protects the ecology of the Delta for all Californians."

"Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a vital economic engine in Northern California and a source of tremendous innovation in clean energy and national security. I’m thrilled that the lab will have an imminently capable and skilled director with the appointment of Parney Albright," Congressman Garamendi said. "Parney is widely respected in his field and brings to our community decades of impressive experience."

"After reviewing footage from last night’s Occupy Oakland protests, I urge both the police and protesters to stay calm and show restraint as protests continue. Some protestors were throwing rocks at police officers, and there are reports of isolated civilian on civilian assaults at Frank Ogawa Plaza. This is unacceptable. There is also disturbing video of a tear gas canister being launched into a small crowd of protestors trying to escort an injured veteran with a skull fracture away from the protests – a dangerous action."

"I’ve spoken to dozens of recent graduates in my district, and they all say the same thing: there are very few jobs available for them, and the ones that exist aren’t paying well," Congressman Garamendi said. "Our country is weakened when we have an entire generation of graduates saddled with debts they can’t afford to pay back. President Obama is wise to offer relief to Americans with excessive student loan debt."