Speaker John A. Pérez Honored with California Golden Bear Award by California Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States

Feb 27, 2014
In The News

SACRMENTO – Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) was awarded the California Golden Bear Award by the California Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States' (CAL EANGUS) yesterday in recognition for his efforts on behalf of the “Work for Warriors” program, which has helped tackle the issue of unemployment among the almost 20,000 California National Guard members.

“I am deeply honored to receive the California Golden Bear Award,” said Speaker Pérez. “Our most basic obligation as citizens is to stand up for the men and women who have served our nation in the military, and who stand prepared to assist California during natural disasters or other major emergencies, and I have been very grateful for the opportunity to work with the California National Guard on ensuring California’s veterans have access to jobs, healthcare and support services they deserve.”

California Golden Bear Award

Speaker Pérez has provided $1 million in Assembly grants to fund the National Guard’s “Work for Warriors” pilot program, which links unemployed National Guard members with participating employers, which has helped reduce the unemployment rate in the California National Guard by 25 percent in the first year.

Speaker Pérez and the Assembly also provided two $300,000 grants to the California Military Department for mental health services, which gave the California National Guard more resources to better support their members.

“I applaud CAL EANGUS for choosing Speaker Pérez for this prestigious award,” said Major General David S. Baldwin, the Adjutant General of the California National Guard. “The Speaker's unwavering support of Work for Warriors is responsible for making the program a success, and has improved the readiness of the California National Guard to respond to state emergencies.”

Speaker Pérez is also the author of the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act of 2014, Assembly Bill 639, which will put California at the forefront of our nation’s efforts to end veteran homelessness by 2015 by expanding housing options for veterans, cost-effectively leveraging public dollars and reducing the number of homeless veterans. The bill passed the Legislature on September 11 and is waiting for the Governor’s signature.

In the state budget the Legislature and Governor this year also created state staff teams known as “Strike Forces” to be embedded in the three regional federal Veteran Benefit Administration offices, ensuring disability benefits are approved faster for California veterans.