Press release: “Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing [Protecting the Employment Rights of Those Who Protect the United States, November 8, 2007] to address employment challenges that service members face when returning from a tour of duty. The hearing focused on the enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) which requires employers to continue to employ members of the Guard and Reserve upon their return from duty. There are four federal agencies that are responsible for the oversight and implementation of veterans’ employment rights: the Departments of Labor, Department of Defense, Defense and Justice, as well as the Office of Special Counsel. Data previously withheld from the public were released the hearing. The data demonstrates serious inadequacies in the performance of the four federal agencies responsible for protecting returning veterans’ reemployment rights.”