[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 117 (Wednesday, September 27, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1611-E1612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF HEATHER FRENCH HOMELESS VETERANS ASSISTANCE ACT OF 
                            2000, H.R. 5311

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LANE EVANS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 27, 2000

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I am proud and honored today to introduce the 
Heather French Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2000. The homeless 
veterans of our nation have no better friend, no better advocate than 
Miss America 2000. During the past year, Heather has given generously 
of her time, talent, energy and self to challenge this nation to meet 
the unmet needs of our homeless veterans. The value of her advocacy for 
our nation's homeless veterans this past year cannot be calculated--it 
is priceless. From coast to coast and border to border, Heather has 
taken her message of our national responsibility to provide homeless 
veterans the assistance they need and deserve. It is an honor for me 
to, in some small way, recognize what Heather French has done and what 
she means for our homeless veterans and our nation. The legislation I 
introduce today is intended to recognize and honor Heather French, but 
it is not a ceremonial measure.
  Nearly four decades ago, President John F. Kennedy challenged our 
nation to send a man to the moon and return him safely to earth before 
the end of a decade. He said we would do it not because it was easy, 
but because it was hard. Our nation spent billions of dollars, some 
$21.3 billion in 1969 dollars, to meet this challenge. Today, the cost 
would be an estimated $110 billion. The crew of Apollo 11, Armstrong, 
Aldrin, and Collins, will always be American heroes. The men and women 
who have served this nation in uniform and who are now homeless are 
also American heroes. They are the real survivors.
  If we were capable of achieving that goal set by President Kennedy 
nearly 40 years ago, then we are capable of achieving this goal now--
before the end of a decade eliminate homelessness among veterans. We 
must honor the service of our women and men who have served in uniform 
by providing the resources and opportunity they need to regain their 
future and again become productive citizens. This is our challenge. 
Like generations before us, we can and will succeed.
  Let us never forget that every homeless veteran in America today 
served as a member of our Armed Forces. Today's homeless veterans were 
the once eager, excited and maybe a little frightened young men and 
women who came forward to serve our nation in uniform. In real terms, 
they defended our nation. They were our national defense. They came 
forward by the tens of thousands to serve our country. It is time for 
our country to come forward to fully provide the services they now 
need.
  The Heather French Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2000 is 
comprehensive legislation. It contains both innovative and proven 
programs. It provides, for example; expanding successful grant 
programs, extending the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) to provide dental care, and authorizing individual grants to 
veterans at risk for homelessness. Mr. Speaker, I ask that a summary 
explanation of the Heather French Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 
2000 be included in the Record following my statement.
  Some may question the need for enacting comprehensive homeless 
veterans legislation. They may ask, ``Don't programs to help homeless 
veterans already exist?'' The answer is a qualified yes. VA offers a 
wide array of special programs and initiatives designed to help 
homeless veterans live as self-sufficiently and independently as 
possible. VA's specialized homeless veterans treatment programs have 
grown and developed since first authorized in 1987. In addition, other 
federal and community based programs exist throughout the nation to 
offer support and provide assistance to homeless veterans. Homeless 
veterans are receiving assistance and support from many programs that 
have demonstrated their effectiveness.
  The question then remains, ``Why are veterans still homeless?'' The 
answer is simple. We have not done enough. The problem is not 
ineffective programs. The problem is too few programs and too many 
homeless veterans. If our goal is to end homelessness among veterans, 
we must do more. Existing programs must be continued and expanded when 
possible. New programs must be established.
  For some, the first question will be, ``How much will this cost?'' 
The question that should be asked instead is, ``What are the costs of 
failing to end homelessness among veterans? What are the costs of 
failing to provide what they need to regain their future and again 
become productive citizens and members of society?''
  I strongly support the specialized programs of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs intended to meet the needs of homeless veterans. These 
are worthwhile, effective programs. For fiscal year 2000, the total 
amount expected to be spent supporting these programs is $152.5 million 
dollars. This is clearly not pocket change, but neither is it enough 
funding. In fact, it is far from enough.
  Over the course of a year, 345,000 homeless veterans will experience 
nearly 126 nights of homelessness. To meet the needs of nearly 126 
million nights of homelessness among veterans a year, $152.5 million 
really isn't very much. In fact, the total spending this year for VA's 
specialized programs for homeless veterans amounts to approximately 
$1.25 per day, per homeless veteran. No matter how effective or 
efficient, $1.25 per day, per homeless veteran can't be expected to be 
enough. On average, this is about $450 per year, per homeless veteran.
  The Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP), of the Department 
of Labor, provides even less support. The purpose of HVRP is to assist 
homeless veterans gain employment and become or move toward self-
sufficiency. Again, HVRP is a good program which has demonstrated its 
effectiveness. But how effective can HVRP be in eliminating 
homelessness with an annual budget of $10 million? If the homeless 
veteran population is 345,000, HVRP can spend, at the utmost, less than 
$30 per year, per veteran, on average.
  For some, eliminating homelessness among veterans is simply a 
question of economics. A formerly homeless veteran who becomes a 
computer programmer earning $40,000 a year is a contributing member of 
our society who will repay many times over in taxes the assistance he 
or she received. It is in our national economic interest to once again 
use the skills and values learned in military service and to 
productively use new skills to benefit everyone.
  For me, this is not simply a question of economics. Morally, there is 
no other choice that we can make. We must make use of the full arsenal 
of programs and tools to help homeless veterans regain their self-
worth, their dignity, their pride and their self-sufficiency. We can 
end homelessness among veterans if we have the will to do so. As the 
richest nation on earth, we can afford to do no less.
  President Reagan once asked, ``If not us, who? If not now, when?'' I 
ask these same questions today. We cannot afford to wait any longer. 
More importantly, America's homeless veterans cannot afford to wait any 
longer.
  If we simply maintain the status quo, over the next decade there will 
be more than one billion nights of homelessness among veterans. Let me 
repeat that--more than one billion nights of homelessness among 
veterans over the next decade if we simply maintain our current 
efforts. If our
  The most recent assessment of the Community Homelessness Assessment, 
Local Education and Networking Groups (CHALENG) was issued in May 2000 
by the Department of Veterans Affairs. That assessment reported that 
there were an estimated 344,983 homeless veterans during 1999, an 
increase of 34 percent above the 1998 estimate of 256,872 homeless 
veterans.
  Veterans continue to constitute a significant and disproportionately 
greater percentage of homeless men than their non-veteran peers. 
Twenty-three percent of the homeless male population are veterans while 
thirteen percent of the general male population are veterans.
  The CHALENG assessment issued in May 2000, by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA), also reported there is a need now for more than 
110,000 additional beds to meet current needs of homeless veterans. 
Those additional beds will not be enough, however. Food, clothing, 
social services, medical services, job training and readiness programs 
and so much more will also be needed. It can be done and we must do it.
  This same assessment of the needs of homeless veterans issued by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reported VA and community 
partnerships during 1999 were responsible for establishing 4,943 total 
beds for homeless veterans which included emergency, transitional and 
permanent beds. If 5,000 additional beds are provided annually to meet 
the needs of homeless veterans, more than two decades will be required 
to meet the current need for additional beds to serve homeless 
veterans. According to an informal cost estimate provided by VA, $1 
billion will be required to establish the new beds now needed by 
homeless veterans.

[[Page E1612]]

  The Congressional Budget Office forecast a federal budget surplus 
totaling $268 billion for fiscal year 2001 and a budget surplus of over 
$4.5 trillion over the next ten years. We are the most powerful and 
richest nation on earth. Economically, we can afford to end 
homelessness among veterans. Morally, we must. Morally, there is no 
other choice that we can make. We must make use of the full arsenal of 
programs and tools to help homeless veterans regain their self-worth, 
their dignity, their pride and their self-sufficiency.
  I am pleased the Heather French Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 
2000 has already received support from the Veterans Organizations 
Homeless Council. The members of the Veterans Organizations Homeless 
Council represent ten major national veteran service organizations. 
These organizations are The American Legion, AMVETS, Blinded Veterans 
Association, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, Military 
Order of the Purple Heart, Non Commissioned Officers Association, 
Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Vietnam 
Veterans of America. The Veterans Organizations Homeless Council 
``strongly supports the comprehensive recommendations advanced by 
Congressman Lane Evans, Illinois, in a legislative proposal that will 
offer a strategic program to break the vicious cycle of veterans 
homelessness in cities and towns across this Nation.''
  In addition, I am also very pleased this legislation has won the 
support of Miss America 2000. Heather French has carried a torch of 
compassion which has shown light on the plight of America's homeless 
veterans. She has given voice to homeless veterans who have been 
voiceless and visibility to homeless veterans who have been invisible 
to society in general. Her efforts have raised the awareness of the 
American people regarding the struggles and circumstances of the 
thousands of homeless men and women who have served our nation in 
uniform.
  By her words and deeds Miss America 2000 has demonstrated her 
steadfast commitment to leaving no homeless veteran behind. From the 
halls of Congress, to homeless shelters, and to communities across 
America, Heather French has inspired us to a single goal--ending 
homelessness among America's veterans. As Miss America 2000, Heather 
French has well represented the Miss America Organization--the largest 
provider of scholarship assistance, exclusively for women, in the 
world. As an advocate for our homeless veterans, Heather French has 
maintained The Miss America Organization tradition of many decades of 
empowering American women to achieve their personal and professional 
goals, while providing a forum in which to express their opinions, 
talents, and intelligence. Her year of service as Miss America will end 
next month, but her commitment will not. She will continue to speak for 
those who are voiceless, seek shelter for those who have none, and 
remind us of our obligation to those who have served.
  Heather French has said, ``homeless veterans want to be able to 
regain personal pride by taking personal responsibility to remove the 
barriers that have prevented their transition to productive 
citizenship.'' ``I applaud this legislation that focuses on a 
comprehensive package of proposals that will lead to ending 
homelessness among our nation's veterans so they can once again be 
proud citizens.''
  The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) has also endorsed 
this legislation. NCHV executive director Linda Boone has said ``this 
bill will become the platform to address homeless veterans' issues in 
the 107th Congress and we look forward to a continued active 
relationship between Ms. French and Mr. Evans towards the goal of 
ending homelessness among our nation's veterans.''
  I am proud to have the support of Ms. French, major veterans 
organizations, and community based providers of services to homeless 
veterans. I urge my colleagues to support and cosponsor H.R. 5311, the 
Heather French Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2000.

        Heather French Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2000


                          summary of H.R. 5311

       1. Findings
       2. National Goal to end homelessness among Veterans within 
     a decade
       3. Establish the Homeless Veterans Advisory Committee, 
     Department of Veterans Affairs
       4. Requires annual meeting for Interagency Council on 
     Homeless
       5. Evaluation of homeless programs
       6. Changes in veterans equitable resource allocation 
     methodology
       7. Grant program for homeless veterans with special needs
       8. Coordination of services for veterans at risk of 
     homelessness
       9. Centers of Excellence in integrated mental health 
     services delivery
       10. Expansion of authority for dental care
       11. Programmatic expansions
       12. Various Authorities
       13. Temporary Assistance Grants
       14. Emergency Homeless Grants
       15. Technical Assistance Grants
       16. Manufactured Housing Loans
       17. Increase Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program annual 
     authorization to $50 million

     

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