[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 102 (Friday, July 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1606-E1607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE HOMELESS VETERANS ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL H. MICHAUD

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 28, 2006

  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing H.R. 5960, the 
Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2006, to fortify our Nation's 
efforts to prevent and end homelessness among veterans.
  Each night, as many as 200,000 male and female veterans are sleeping 
in a doorway, under a bridge, in an alley, box, barn, car, or homeless 
shelter. While the number of homeless veterans has decreased somewhat, 
many veterans are on the brink of homelessness. Many veterans are at 
high risk of homelessness because of poverty, dismal living conditions, 
and lack of support.
  A third of homeless men living on the street are veterans. Women 
veterans are up to four times more likely to become homeless when 
compared with their peers in the general population. According to the 
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the number of women among 
homeless veterans is increasing, from 2 percent of the homeless veteran 
population in 1996 to 7 percent at the end of 2005.
  About half of all homeless veterans suffer from mental illness. More 
than two-thirds suffer from alcohol or drug abuse problems.
  Behind these disturbing statistics are real men and women who have 
served our nation. We must lift the veil of invisibility that conceals 
the reality of homeless veterans. We must take action to honor these 
veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs has many good programs 
that need Congressional reauthorization to continue. However, even with 
these programs, we are not meeting the demand or providing adequate 
support to prevent at-risk veterans from falling into homelessness.
  Earlier this month the Associated Press reported that homelessness is 
a threat for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Herold Noel 
is a 26-year-old former Army private first class who served in Iraq 
during the beginning of the war. When he returned to New York, he could 
not find a job to support his wife and children. They ended up in a 
homeless shelter after the housing programs for veterans in the city 
were full. Mr. Noel is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder 
(PTSD), caused by his experience in the service. Mr. Noel, who drove a 
fuel-truck in Iraq, has had to deal with nightmarish images that he saw 
during war.
  We must and can take steps to prevent homelessness among our 
returning troops.
  My legislation recommits our nation to preventing and ending 
homelessness among veterans.
  My legislation is the result of an ongoing dialogue with the National 
Coalition for Homeless Veterans, information and findings from a 
Congressional briefing sponsored by Democratic Members of House 
Committee on Veterans Affairs, which heard from VA experts, community 
providers of care for homeless veterans and former homeless veterans, 
reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on 
Homeless Veterans, and annual reports from the VA evaluating VA's 
health care programs for homeless veterans.
  Specifically my legislation would extend expired authorization for 
VA's successful Homeless Veterans Grant & Per Diem Program through 2011 
and reauthorizes yearly appropriations for the program at $200 million.
  In fiscal year 2005, the average per day payment to community 
providers to provide shelter, meals and intensive supportive services 
to veterans was $24.16. It would be hard to find a hotel room in most 
cities at that rate, let alone provide a veteran with meals and 
supportive services, such as mental health and vocational counseling. 
My legislation would put the per diem rate paid to community service 
providers on par with the per diem rates for State Veterans Homes 
providing domiciliary care, which is $31.30 for 2006.
  This increase will greatly improve the capacity of community 
providers to help homeless veterans recover, rehabilitate and 
reintegrate back into society.
  My legislation also improves accountability and performance of the 
Homeless Veterans Grant & Per Diem Program by requiring the Secretary 
to establish performance standards to evaluate and document clinical 
activities and outcomes.
  The legislation also would require each grant recipient to provide 
financial information necessary for the VA to verify that payments 
provide services to homeless veterans.
  VA provides grants for comprehensive homeless service centers that 
are open to homeless veterans on an unscheduled and drop-in basis. 
These centers are a vital access point to homeless veterans. The 
legislation clarifies that funding for these drop-in service centers 
for homeless veterans may be used to maintain adequate staffing for 
services.
  The authorization to treat veterans suffering from serious mental 
illness, including homeless veterans expires on December 12, 2006. In 
addition, the authority to expand and improve the provision of benefits 
and services to homeless veterans in the 20 largest metropolitan areas 
expires on December 31, 2006. The legislation extends both authorities 
for five years, through 2011.
  The legislation also extends authorization of program in 38 U.S.C. 
2041 through 2011.

[[Page E1607]]

  At the May 18, 2005, Congressional briefing on homeless veterans, we 
heard from Denise Randolph, a former homeless woman veteran. She 
explained that when she went to the VA to stay at the domiciliary she 
felt unsafe because the space was not set up to house women. VA experts 
confirmed that many VA domiciliary programs are not equipped to handle 
the privacy and safety needs of female veterans, although VA is 
addressing this problem. Given that more women are serving in our armed 
forces and those women veterans are at greater risk for homelessness, 
we must ensure that female veterans have access to safe VA programs. 
The bill would require the VA to enhance its capacity to provide safe 
domiciliary care for women veterans.
  The VA has no specific programs to help community providers who focus 
on homeless veterans in rural and remote locations. This legislation 
would authorize special grants to community providers to meet the needs 
of homeless rural veterans.
  Dental care has consistently been identified in the top five unmet 
needs of homeless veterans. The legislation expands homeless veterans' 
eligibility for dental services and treatment.
  The legislation authorizes appropriations of $1 million each year 
through 2011 to provide technical assistance grants to assist community 
providers in addressing the problems of homeless veterans.
  The authorization for the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory 
Committee on Homeless Veterans expires on December 31, 2006. This 
committee has been very effective in assessing the effectiveness of VA 
policies, organizational structures and services to assist homeless 
veterans. The Committee has also been pivotal in identifying gaps in 
programs and barriers to addressing the needs of homeless veterans. The 
legislation reauthorizes the Committee through September 30, 2011. The 
legislation also clarifies that the Executive Director of the 
Interagency Council on Homelessness, the VA Under Secretary for Health 
and VA Under Secretary for Benefits are ex-officio members of the 
Committee.
  Helping transition homeless veterans is a complex and challenging 
effort that requires vigilance and coordination. A number of geographic 
regions of VA hospitals do not have full-time staff as Homeless 
Veterans Coordinators. My legislation requires each Veterans Integrated 
Service Network, known as VISNs, to have at least one full-time 
Homeless Veterans Coordinator.
  Last August, our nation saw the destructive force of Hurricanes 
Katrina and Rita. The homeless shelters in New Orleans, like other 
structures, suffered damage from this disaster. The legislation would 
authorize the VA to make emergency grants to community shelters 
providing care for homeless veterans to repair or replace facilities 
that are damaged or destroyed by a disaster.
  Homeless veterans with severe disabilities, including mental health 
disorders, need supportive services to maintain their functional lives. 
Linking permanent housing to supportive services is an effective way to 
end long-term homelessness for veterans who have mental health 
disorders, including substance abuse or other disabling conditions. 
According to the Corporation for Supportive Housing, providing 
supportive services to individuals in permanent housing reduces costly 
emergency room visits by 57 percent, decreases inpatient hospital days 
by 58 percent and reduces use of public residential mental health 
programs by 100 percent. The VA's research has found that homeless 
veterans who have housing and supportive services can revive social 
networks and rebuild their family relationships.
  My good friend and colleague from New Hampshire, Representative Jeb 
Bradley, has introduced legislation to require the VA, in coordination 
with HUD, to provide financial assistance to non-profit organizations 
to coordinate the provision of supportive services for very low-income 
veterans residing in permanent housing. I support his bill and I have 
included a similar provision in my legislation.
  In addition to providing the services at-risk veterans need to remain 
in permanent housing, we must also take steps to prevent homelessness. 
The legislation authorizes the VA to conduct a demonstration program, 
in at least three sites, to identify veterans who are at risk of 
becoming homeless after discharge or separation from the armed services 
and provide referral and counseling services to help prevent such 
veterans from becoming homeless.
  The legislation makes permanent the successful pilot program to 
provide counseling and outreach to at-risk veterans who are 
transitioning from a penal institution or an institution that provides 
long-term care for mental illness.
  The Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2006 has the strong support 
of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the Iraq & Afghanistan 
Veterans of America and the Corporation for Supportive Housing.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Homeless Veterans Assistance Act 
of 2006.

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