[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 103 (Monday, August 1, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 1, 1994]


 
                HOMELESS VETERANS ASSISTANCE RESOLUTION

                                 ______


                             HON. BOB STUMP

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 1, 1994

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sponsor a resolution to 
assist homeless veterans. The sense of this resolution is clear. It 
calls on Congress to provide a more proportionate share of Federal 
funds for homeless assistance to veterans and to the VA, which manages 
a number of homeless assistance programs and activities.
  There is little question about the seriousness of the problem. On any 
given night over a quarter million veterans are homeless, with perhaps 
twice as many experiencing homelessness over the course of a year. 
Studies indicate that veterans make up approximately one-third of the 
homeless adult population and, in some areas, half or more of the adult 
male homeless population.
  But despite these facts, the VA receives less than 7 percent of funds 
provided for all Federal homeless assistance programs. Though funding 
for fiscal year 1995 is only partially accomplished at this date, the 
version recently approved by the House gave HUD a 45-percent increase 
for HUD homeless assistance programs. This would move HUD funding to 
$1.120 billion from $823 million. At the same time VA received an 
additional $11 million for programs to assist homeless veterans 
totaling $76.8 million
  Homeless veterans require not only shelter and food, but frequently 
treatment for a number of personal problems sometimes closely linked to 
their military service--war-related trauma like post-traumatic stress 
disorder, service-connected disabilities, mental illness, substance 
abuse, economic hardship, missed opportunities from being in the 
service, and lack of developed jobs skills.
  The VA has clearly demonstrated its effectiveness in addressing 
homelessness among veterans. However, VA program staff and the capacity 
of VA's programs to serve homeless veterans falls far short of 
providing the assistance these former soldiers require. Despite good 
faith efforts, VA simply doesn't have the resources to adequately 
address homeless veterans' issues.
  Given the sheer number of veterans who are homeless, it is prudent 
that all agencies involved in homeless assistance reach out directly to 
assist homeless veterans. To put a dent in this problem, there must be 
a designated commitment to help homeless veterans.
  Even at HUD, which has identified helping to reduce homelessness in 
America as its No. 1 priority, there seems to be little recognition of 
the need for veteran specific programs. Earlier this year, for example, 
HUD awarded grants to support groups in innovative homeless programs 
across the country with less than 2 percent going specifically to serve 
the one-third of the homeless who are veterans.
  Even when some non-VA programs state that they place a special 
emphasis on the identification of and assistance to veterans, there is 
little to back it up. FEMA, for example, makes such a claim, but an 
analysis of recent budgets shows that less than one-tenth of 1 percent 
of their budget went to veteran activities.
  My resolution would call on non-VA agencies to target a greater 
portion of their efforts toward veteran specific homeless programs.
  These men and women who once proudly wore the uniform of the U.S. 
Armed Forces are now struggling to survive. They once stood for us; 
now, we must stand for them. They deserve the best we can give.
  This is what my resolution is all about--an effort to reach out to 
the one-third of the adult homeless population that has served their 
country in the armed services and help return them to productive lives.
  We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We only have to retarget our 
approach.
  Since one-third of the homeless are veterans and Congress has 
established an array of Federal programs to help return the homeless to 
self-sufficient and productive lives, shouldn't veterans and the VA 
receive a proportionate share of resources for treatment?
  I urge my colleagues to join Representatives Floyd Spence, George 
Sangmeister, Chris Smith, Mike Bilirakis, Corrine Brown, Jack Quinn, 
Spencer Bachus, Charlie Rangel, Ron Machtley, Rick Santorum, Eni 
Faleomavaega, and myself in cosponsoring this resolution to assist 
homeless veterans.

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