California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 7

Introduced by Assembly Member Mathis

February 25, 2015

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 7—Relative to disabled veterans business enterprise.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AJR 7, as introduced, Mathis. Disabled veterans: first businesses.

This measure would request the Congress of the United States of America to further amend the GI Bill of Rights to make benefits available to disabled veterans for use as startup capital in the establishment of first businesses.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Men and women of the State of California
volunteer to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States in
greater numbers than those from any other state; and

WHEREAS, California is currently home to more than 1,800,000
veterans of our Armed Forces; and

WHEREAS, California veterans have been grateful recipients
of the financial support of their fellow Americans through the
Veterans Administration and the GI Bill; and

WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States passed, and
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed, the GI Bill of Rights in
1944 to support our veterans of World War II in their transition
back to civilian life; and

WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States in 2008 added
significant new benefits for those who enlisted to serve the nation
in the wake of the attacks on the United States on September 11,
2001; and

WHEREAS, Up to 10 percent of veterans choose to start, run,
and own their own businesses; and

WHEREAS, Over 30 percent of veterans of Operation Iraqi
Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and other fronts on the
war against terrorism are receiving disability ratings from the
federal Veterans Administration; and

WHEREAS, More than five million Americans, including over
one-half million Californians, served in these conflicts; and

WHEREAS, The State of California is the recognized national
leader in the establishment and success of disabled veteran business
owner procurement support programs; and

WHEREAS, The State of California established its Disabled
Veteran Business Enterprise program not only to recognize the
contributions of our veterans to our national well-being, but also
as a rehabilitation measure to assist veteran entrepreneurs to catch
up to their civilian business owner cohorts; and

WHEREAS, Disabled veteran businesses make a significant
contribution to the state’s economy and serve as a source of
employment for fellow veterans; and

WHEREAS, Finding enough capital to successfully launch a
new business or buy an existing business is the largest challenge
that new business owners face; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature requests that the Congress
of the United States of America further amend the GI Bill of Rights
to make benefits available, with all appropriate safeguards, to
disabled veterans for use as startup capital in the establishment of
first businesses; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the
Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and
Representative from California in the Congress of the United
States.