[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 57 (Thursday, April 29, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HOMELESS VETERANS ASSISTANCE REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 29, 2004

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) estimates that there are 200,000 or more homeless veterans 
living on the streets on any given night. Other organizations dedicated 
to assisting homeless populations believe that that number is higher, 
closer to 300,000. Either number is far too high and a national 
travesty. For these veterans, access to VA benefits, specialized 
services and effective outreach are vital components to any hope of 
individual stability and improvement in their prospects.
  With the passage of Public Law 107-95, the Homeless Veterans 
Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001, Congress established the goal of 
ending chronic homelessness in the veteran population within a decade. 
Today, I am introducing H.R. 4248 along with Mr. Evans of Illinois, the 
Committee's ranking member, that would extend the authority of the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to continue making grants to expand or 
modify existing programs for homeless veterans. The current authority 
for this program will expire in September 2005 without this 
legislation. VA also requested an increase in the grant and per diem 
program spending limit from $75 million to $100 million, in its fiscal 
year 2005 medical care budget proposal. This legislation would 
authorize that spending increase along with extending the program 
authority through 2008.
  The VA's Homeless Grant and Per Diem program provides competitive 
grants to community-based, faith-based, and public organizations to 
offer transitional housing or service centers for homeless veterans. 
Between grants and per diem-only awards, VA is contributing support for 
approximately 10,000 community-based supportive housing beds and 
services to homeless veterans in all 50 states and the District of 
Columbia. Current recipients of these funds are contributing in very 
significant ways to the fulfillment of the objective to reduce 
homelessness among veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the homeless veterans who need these 
services and the programs that are achieving successful outcomes, I 
urge my colleagues to support this measure.

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