[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 154 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S14752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 28--RELATIVE TO THE D.C. STANDDOWN 1995

  Mr. JEFFORDS submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration:

                            S. Con. Res. 28

       Whereas grassroots community StandDowns help homeless 
     veterans' life on the streets and have provided thousands of 
     homeless veterans with life's necessities including food, 
     clothing, medical attention, legal counseling, mental health 
     treatments and job counseling and referrals;
       Whereas the growth of StandDowns has displayed both its 
     popularity and effectiveness as a means of addressing the 
     unique needs of homeless veterans; and
       Whereas StandDowns have offered a familiar and comforting 
     atmosphere to as many as 25,000 homeless veterans in the 
     past: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR THE D.C. STANDDOWN '95.

       The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans shall be 
     permitted to host a public event on the Upper Senate Park 
     Portion of the Capitol Grounds during the period beginning on 
     October 23, 1995, and ending on October 30, 1995.

     SEC. 2. CONDITIONS.

       The event to be carried out under this resolution shall be 
     arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress, under 
     conditions to be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol 
     and the Capitol Hill Police Board, except that the National 
     Coalition for Homeless Veterans shall assume full 
     responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident to 
     all activities associated with the event.

     SEC. 3. STRUCTURES AND EQUIPMENT.

       For the purposes of this resolution, the National Coalition 
     for Homeless Veterans is authorized to erect upon the Capitol 
     grounds, subject to the approval of the Architect of the 
     Capitol, such stage, sound amplification devices, and other 
     related structures and equipment as may be required for the 
     event to be carried out under this resolution.

     SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS.

       The Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Hill Police 
     Board are authorized to make such additional arrangements as 
     may be required to carry out the event under this resolution.

     SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON REPRESENTATIONS.

       The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans shall not 
     represent, either directly or indirectly, that this 
     resolution or any activity carried out under this resolution 
     in any way constitutes approval or endorsement by the Federal 
     Government of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans or 
     any services offered by the National Coalition for Homeless 
     Veterans.

 Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I submit a resolution to 
authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for D.C. StandDown '95. D.C. 
StandDown '95 will involve over 500 staffers and volunteers from public 
and private sector organizations, including the National Coalition for 
Homeless Veterans, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the United 
States Naval Medical Center, and the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development. D.C. StandDown '95 will provide hundreds of homeless 
veterans with food, clothing, medical attention, legal counseling, 
mental health treatment and job counseling. Because the District of 
Columbia has the highest number of homeless veterans per capita in the 
Nation, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for D.C. StandDown 
'95 is essential.
  Veterans' standdowns have proven to be the best way to address the 
unique needs of veterans and to reach veterans who rarely take 
advantage of the services they are entitled to. Standdowns have grown 
in popularity around the country. Over 25,000 homeless veterans have 
been served in previous standdowns, and I am pleased that passage of my 
resolution will aid another 350 homeless veterans who seek physical, 
mental, and employment counseling assistance.
  My resolution will permit the National Coalition for Homeless 
Veterans to host the event on the Upper Senate Park portion of the 
Capitol Grounds between October 23, 1995, and October 30, 1995. The 
coalition will be responsible for all expenses and liabilities related 
to the event. Any effort to erect a stage, sound system or any other 
structure would need to be approved by the Architect of the Capitol. 
Finally, the coalition can not characterize passage of this resolution 
as constituting an endorsement by the Federal Government.
  I am pleased that Representative Joseph Kennedy feels as strong as I 
do about the effectiveness and necessary of veterans' standdowns, as he 
has agreed to introduce a companion resolution in the House of 
Representatives. We as a Nation must continue to provide assistance to 
homeless veterans and foster their eventual return to healthy, self-
sufficient and productive lives. I believe that D.C. StandDown '95 will 
contribute to this return.

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