[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 118 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8217-H8220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE McKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS 
                             ASSISTANCE ACT

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 561) recognizing the 20th 
anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the 
impact it has made on homelessness and endeavoring to continue working 
to eliminate homelessness in the United States.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 561

       Whereas July 22, 2007, is the 20th anniversary of the 
     enactment of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, 
     which was renamed the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
     in October 2000;
       Whereas Representatives Stewart B. McKinney and Bruce Vento 
     worked tirelessly in the Congress to develop a Federal 
     response to homelessness;
       Whereas Representative Stewart B. McKinney was committed to 
     exposing the depth of the growing problem of homelessness in 
     the 1980s;
       Whereas Representative Stewart B. McKinney was a recognized 
     expert on Federal housing law and urban affairs who 
     successfully amended the National Housing Act and the Housing 
     and Community Development Act of 1974 to better target 
     Federal aid to smaller cities, but became terminally ill with 
     pneumonia after sleeping on a grate outside a Federal 
     building with the homeless of Washington, DC;
       Whereas in 1985, after personally viewing the circumstances 
     of the homeless and the need for crisis intervention in his 
     congressional district in St. Paul, Minnesota, Representative 
     Bruce Vento introduced a resolution to express the sense of 
     the Congress that homelessness is a national problem 
     requiring a national solution;
       Whereas throughout his career, Representative Vento 
     remained dedicated to securing a commitment of Federal 
     resources to address homelessness;
       Whereas the programs established by the McKinney-Vento Act 
     have provided housing, education, health care, and job 
     training assistance, and critical outreach, to thousands of 
     homeless men, women, and children in the United States;
       Whereas the Education for Homeless Children and Youth 
     Program of the McKinney-Vento Act has resulted in a 
     significant increase in the number of homeless children and 
     youth attending school on a regular basis;
       Whereas the McKinney-Vento Act was intended to be only an 
     emergency response and not the sole Federal response to 
     homelessness;
       Whereas over the course of a year, as many as 3,500,000 
     persons are estimated to experience homelessness in the 
     United States;
       Whereas approximately 400,000 veterans of the Armed Forces 
     of the United States experience homelessness at some point 
     over the course of a year;
       Whereas the homeless population includes vulnerable groups 
     such as children, unaccompanied youth, and persons with 
     disabilities; and
       Whereas there were at least 142 unprovoked assaults against 
     homeless persons in 2006, including 20 that resulted in 
     death: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the McKinney-Vento 
     Homeless Assistance Act and the impact it has made on 
     homelessness in the United States;
       (2) recognizes the positive impact the McKinney-Vento Act 
     has had on hundreds of thousands of homeless men, women, 
     children, and youth in the United States;
       (3) recognizes the substantial contributions of 
     Representatives Stewart B. McKinney and Bruce Vento in 
     addressing homelessness;
       (4) recognizes that homelessness continues to be an urgent 
     problem in the United States;
       (5) commends the dedication and commitment of service 
     providers, including faith-based and nonprofit organizations, 
     who are working to end homelessness in their communities and 
     provide emergency food, shelter, and services to homeless 
     Americans;
       (6) recognizes that the lack of affordable housing 
     exacerbates homelessness in the United States;
       (7) supports the continued efforts of Federal, State, and 
     local governments and private non-profit organizations in 
     their efforts to prevent and end homelessness through the 
     development of affordable housing;
       (8) recognizes that the life expectancy of a homeless 
     person in the United States is 30 years shorter than that of 
     the average American and supports efforts to improve the 
     health of homeless Americans;
       (9) supports efforts to prevent and end homelessness among 
     veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States;
       (10) supports efforts to ensure accurate and timely 
     processing of applications for disability benefits as a means 
     of decreasing homelessness among disabled persons;
       (11) recognizes that the safety and well-being of homeless 
     persons is an urgent problem;
       (12) recognizes the critical role of education and public 
     schools in preventing and ending homelessness, and supports 
     efforts to improve stability, services, and access to school 
     for homeless children and youth; and
       (13) endeavors to work with the same courage, dignity, and 
     determination exemplified by Representatives McKinney and 
     Vento to eliminate homelessness in the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. 
Shays) each will control 20 minutes.

[[Page H8218]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, this is a very important 
resolution. It is an appropriate noting of the anniversary, 20-year 
anniversary, of the passage of the Homeless Assistance Act. It marked 
the beginning of a formal Federal recognition of the problem of 
homelessness; it's a great paradox, and one of which we should be 
embarrassed in this country.
  It may not seem obvious to people, but before this, certainly 25 
years ago and beyond, the homeless population was an invisible one. And 
it was in the 1980s that people began to focus on it.
  Two former Members of this body, both of whom sadly died younger than 
should have been the case, while still in their fullness of powers as 
Members of this body were among the first to recognize it, and it was 
bipartisan. The former Member from Connecticut, Stewart McKinney, whose 
successor will be speaking on behalf of this very shortly, was one of 
those who began it. And he was joined in his advocacy by the late Bruce 
Vento from St. Paul. And they were two men of great compassion and 
vision. They were skilled legislators who served on the committee as it 
was then called on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, and they 
insisted that we, as a body, in this very wealthy Nation, address the 
terrible tragedy of people who were homeless, including children and 
war veterans.
  A number of things contributed to the homelessness issue. There were 
some trends in this society, and often we hear about unintended 
consequences. There were some trends that in themselves were welcomed 
that had these negative consequences. One was the improvement in urban 
areas, the transformation of many downtowns in our big cities from 
places that were considered not very attractive places in which to live 
to places that people wanted to live in, the phenomenon known as 
gentrification.
  The area that I represented when I was in the State legislature in 
the 1970s in Boston, in downtown Boston there were boarding houses, 
rooming houses in many of the downtown parts of Boston. Most of those 
are now much more expensive housing. They are single-family homes or 
condominiums. That, from the standpoint of the city, I suppose, is an 
improvement. But many of those who lived there were priced out of the 
market and, in many cases, found no alternative housing.
  We also had the movement of deinstitutionalization, of deciding that 
people with various problems, emotional and mental problems, that it 
was better to try to get them integrated into communities than to have 
them living forever apart in institutions, and on the whole that was a 
very positive step. But no major social policy happens perfectly. The 
combination of the upgrading economically of these downtowns, of the 
release of people from institutions, these contributed to the homeless 
problem.

                              {time}  1400

  There are, of course, other problems. Vietnam veterans who came back 
from a war that they didn't ask to start, who were sent by this country 
to this difficult country and came back to a country that treated them 
poorly, that did not honor their commitment and the sacrifice of their 
time and of their health. And in combination with substance abuse, all 
of these came together.
  At any rate, 20 years ago we recognized that we had this problem, and 
we have begun to deal with it. And this resolution is a tribute to the 
two far-sighted men who led this fight; to the many, many people who 
have worked to try to provide a solution to homelessness; to the 
homeless themselves, fellow citizens of all ages and races and 
backgrounds who have had to cope with these difficulties, some because 
of their own failings, often because of no thing that they did wrong 
but because of circumstances in which they found themselves. In any 
case, we ought to deal with it.
  And this resolution is also very thoughtful, and I call attention to 
the ``whereases.'' Whereases, to be candid, Mr. Speaker, are often 
unemployment. They are filler. But in this case the whereases make some 
very important points, and one in particular I want to address. It 
talks about the vulnerable groups that are included. Another one talks 
about the veterans who are involved. That is, this makes clear that we 
are dealing with people who have a very legitimate claim on our 
response. In addition, the resolution itself goes beyond really 
congratulating people for the work they did and deploring the continued 
existence of homelessness, but it makes some very specific policy 
recommendations, which, Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Financial 
Services will be responding to and has already begun to respond to.
  For example, in the resolution, clause 6 says that we recognize 
``that the lack of affordable housing exacerbates homelessness in the 
United States.'' That may seem to state the obvious, but the obvious 
may have been stated but hasn't been acted on. We have not done nearly 
enough to produce affordable housing. Homelessness requires shelter; it 
requires services. But it requires, more than anything else, homes for 
people. Affordable housing, also rental housing, but it requires 
housing.
  The resolution supports the continued efforts of Federal, State, and 
local governments in their efforts to prevent and end homelessness 
through the development of affordable housing. It was not an accident 
that the gentleman from Connecticut who succeeded Mr. McKinney will be 
soon speaking on this, is a member of our committee, and is a cosponsor 
with many of us on legislation that will actually return the Federal 
Government to the job of producing affordable housing.
  So I welcome this resolution for what it commemorates but also for 
what it commits this Congress to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H. Res. 561, a resolution recognizing the 20th 
anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
  Our resolution, which I introduced along with Chairwoman Maxine 
Waters and Representative Betty McCollum, acknowledges the 20th 
anniversary of the act, which was yesterday, July 22, and recognizes 
the impact Congressmen McKinney and Vento and their legislation named 
after them have had on homelessness.
  Before reflecting on Stewart McKinney's life and the impact of his 
work on millions of lives across the country, I would like to express 
my gratitude to Chairwoman Waters and particularly Chairman Barney 
Frank, as well as Ranking Members Spencer Bachus and Judy Biggert, for 
moving this resolution to the floor. I also appreciate the work of the 
National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty and the 15 other 
organizations that have endorsed the recognition of this anniversary.
  I serve in the seat previously represented by Stewart McKinney. 
Stewart served as the ranking member on the House Banking Subcommittee 
on Housing, as well as the Committee on the District of Columbia. It 
was in this capacity that he became especially concerned about 
homelessness, particularly in our capital city.
  He loved urban areas, and like our colleague Bruce Vento, he 
recognized homelessness is a national problem that requires a national 
solution. Stewart's commitment to exposing the depth of the growing 
problem of homelessness in the 1980s led him to contract pneumonia 
after sleeping on a grate outside a Federal building with D.C. area 
homeless.
  Shortly after his death on May 7, 1987, his family, friends, and 
staff gathered to discuss how to continue his philosophy of caring for 
those who are the least able to care for themselves. They created the 
Stewart B. McKinney Foundation, an organization whose mission is to 
provide funds to care for persons with HIV who are homeless or at risk 
of homelessness. Today, Lucie McKinney continues the work Stewart began 
in his memory and keeps his spirit alive in this precious foundation.
  Stewart was beloved by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. 
Reading the tributes that were offered to Stewart on the House floor on 
the day of his death, a rather thick book, I might add, I was struck by 
his colleagues' appreciation for his humanity, his warm spirit, 
bipartisanship, and dedication to good work. I particularly want to 
make reference to one colleague, former Representative Bill

[[Page H8219]]

Frenzel, who said, ``I remember I often asked how he could stand it for 
over 16 years being on the House Banking Committee, and he said, `You 
do not understand. It is the Housing Subcommittee that keeps me here 
because it is the most important thing I am doing in Congress.' ''
  Let me conclude by saying the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance 
Act, now known as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, was first 
enacted in 1987 as the first major coordinated Federal response to 
homelessness. Passed in response to the rapid and dramatic growth of 
homelessness in the United States during the 1980s, the McKinney Act 
emphasized emergency measures, transitional measures, and long-term 
solutions to combat the homeless crisis.
  Despite the impact of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 
homelessness continues to be a pervasive problem in America. It is 
important Congress support a comprehensive range of programs beyond 
emergency food, shelter, and health care services for the homeless.
  We must promote the development of affordable housing, provide 
supportive services to those who are homeless or in vulnerable housing 
situations, acknowledge and study the high rates of homelessness among 
our Nation's veterans, and recognize the critical role our schools play 
in preventing and ending homelessness among children.
  On the anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Act, I want to express our 
sincere gratitude for the dedication and commitment of service 
providers who are working to end homelessness in our communities and 
provide emergency food, shelter, and services.
  In Connecticut's Fourth Congressional District, I want to commend the 
work of Homes for the Brave, Bridgeport; Operation Hope, Fairfield; 
Shelter for the Homeless, Stamford; Norwalk Emergency Shelter; 
Interfaith Housing Association of Westport and Weston; Families in 
Transition, Bridgeport; St. Luke's Lifeworks, Stamford; Prospect House, 
Bridgeport; and all the other organizations working to assist the 
homeless or those who are at risk of becoming homeless.
  With the passage of this resolution, I hope my colleagues and I will 
endeavor to work with the same courage, dignity, and determination 
exemplified by Representatives McKinney and Vento to eliminate 
homelessness in the United States.
  At this time, Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the ranking member of the Housing Subcommittee from Illinois.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 561, 
recognizing the 20th anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
Assistance Act.
  Since 1987, McKinney-Vento has served as the foundation of a cohesive 
national strategy against homelessness. In addition to housing, 
McKinney-Vento includes vital programs that address the nutritional, 
health care, and educational needs of the less fortunate.
  As a member of the Education and Labor Committee, I have spent a 
great deal of time examining the unique obstacles that exist for 
runaway, homeless, and other disconnected youth, and I have seen first-
hand the devastating impact that lost educational opportunities can 
have on the lives of homeless youth. Unfortunately, for many of these 
children, school is the only source of stability in their lives.
  That is why in 2001 I introduced the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
Education Act, a bill that ensures homeless children have access to 
immediate enrollment without the barriers and red tape that had too 
often kept them out of school. My view was, and remains, that being 
without a home should not mean being without an education. I am pleased 
to report that Congress agreed and we were able to get this bill 
incorporated into the No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law in 
2002.
  Following the tragic hurricanes of Katrina and Rita, the Education 
for Homeless Children and Youth programs in NCLB were put to the test 
and proved crucial to providing much-needed stability and vital 
services to those in need. Because programs like McKinney-Vento were 
already in place, the Federal Government was better prepared to meet 
the educational and social needs of displaced children during a time of 
national crisis.
  Perhaps most importantly, this anniversary is an opportunity to call 
attention to the work that still remains to be done, work like tearing 
down barriers that prevent unaccompanied homeless youth from attending 
school.
  In this spirit, I would like to invite my colleagues to join me in 
supporting a vital piece of legislation that will do just that, H.R. 
601, the FAFSA Fix for Homeless Kids Act. This important bill, which 
was introduced along with my good friend from Texas, Congressman 
Hinojosa, will ensure that the doors of higher education remain open 
for some of our Nation's most vulnerable youth. At no additional cost 
to taxpayers, this bill simply ensures that unaccompanied homeless 
youth are not required to submit a parent's financial information to 
qualify for Federal student aid. While these requirements are logical 
for most applicants, they create insurmountable barriers for 
unaccompanied homeless youth who cannot supply these records.
  As a member of the Financial Services and Education and Labor 
Committees, I look forward to working with my colleagues on other 
important policy initiatives like reauthorizing the McKinney-Vento 
programs under HUD and NCLB. As we move forward on these items in the 
coming months, we must join together to ensure that addressing the 
needs of America's homeless remains a top priority.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my good 
friend and distinguished colleague from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) for 
introducing this resolution and for his dedication to improving the 
lives of homeless Americans. I would also like to thank Mr. Frank and 
Mr. Bachus for cosponsoring this resolution and helping to move it 
through the Financial Services Committee in such a timely and 
bipartisan way.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution and urge my 
colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Frank. He made sure the bill 
got to the floor quickly, and I thank him for all of his good work on 
homeless issues as well as housing.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  I again note that this is not simply words. Words are important and 
the work of Bruce Vento and Stewart McKinney, two outstanding Members 
of Congress, ought to be recognized. The fact that we are talking here 
about veterans, about children, about other populations that we all 
want very much to help, they are important. But I want to stress again 
this is also a commitment for the Committee on Financial Services. I 
know I speak for the chairwoman of the Housing Subcommittee, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), and my colleague here.
  And I want to again point to clauses 6 and 7 of the resolution. The 
resolution ``recognizes that the lack of affordable housing exacerbates 
homelessness in the United States,'' and No. 7, ``supports the 
continued efforts of Federal, State, and local governments and private 
nonprofit organizations in their efforts to prevent and end 
homelessness through the development of affordable housing.''
  The services that are provided, the shelter, the counseling, they are 
all absolutely essential. But so is a commitment by this very wealthy 
Nation to help build affordable housing. And if we were not to make 
that commitment, then the resolution would, I think, be an empty one.
  So I look forward to the Committee on Financial Services working 
together in a bipartisan way to continue to bring to this floor, and I 
hope ultimately to the desk of the President, and, more important, 
ultimately to the streets of our cities and rural areas in this country 
the housing that is needed. This is a promise that we are going to go 
forward with building affordable housing, and it is a promise that we 
fully intend to keep.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material.

[[Page H8220]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 561, 
recognizing the 20th anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
Assistance Act of 1987. I was pleased to join my Housing Subcommittee 
colleague Mr. Shays, and Congresswoman McCollum, in introducing this 
resolution to honor their late predecessors--Stewart McKinney of 
Connecticut and Bruce Vento of Minnesota--for their work across party 
lines to create the McKinney-Vento programs in response to the 
widespread homelessness that had reoccurred in the early 1980's for the 
first time since the Great Depression.
  Since then, the McKinney-Vento Act programs have helped thousands of 
homeless men, women, and children return to stable housing and lives in 
which they can reach their full potential. I am pleased that we will 
take up for consideration today a FY 2008 appropriations bill for the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which administers 
the majority of McKinney-Vento grants, that provides for $1.561 billion 
for the HUD homeless assistance account, a $234 million increase over 
FY 2006.
  But as national homeless organizations noted poignantly at an event a 
few of us attended last week, this is truly a ``bittersweet'' 
anniversary. While this groundbreaking homeless legislation is a 
highlight of the legacy I inherit as the Chair of the Housing 
Subcommittee, the sad fact is that the McKinney-Vento Act programs 
should not still be so desperately needed on their 20th birthday.
  In fact, because the McKinney-Vento Act was debated a few years 
before I entered Congress--though I had certainly addressed homeless 
issues during my tenure in the California state legislature--I had my 
staff provide me with some of the legislative history surrounding the 
bill. A couple of points are worth noting.
  First, nobody ever thought that the McKinney-Vento Act was the answer 
to homelessness, despite its ambitious creation of 15 separate programs 
and authorization of over $400 million in funding. Indeed, the original 
House bill was entitled the ``Urgent Relief for the Homeless Act.'' Of 
it, my distinguished predecessor as Chair of the then-Housing and 
Community Development Subcommittee, the late Henry Gonzalez, said, 
``The emergency assistance provided in this bill will not eradicate the 
causes of homelessness; but rather is an emergency short-term effort to 
assist homeless persons.''

  In other words, the McKinney-Vento programs were always meant as a 
first step--a first step toward a social safety net in which no person 
is forced to live on the streets or in shelters because of poverty, 
whether or not that poverty is coupled with additional challenges like 
mental illness, drug addiction or HIV/AIDS.
  What is also striking, however, is how much the people involved then 
knew or suspected, even in the midst of a new crisis, about the real 
long-term solutions to homelessness. Of necessity, perhaps, given the 
rapid and overwhelming growth in homelessness at the time, the majority 
of early McKinney-Vento Act authorizations and appropriations funded 
emergency food and shelter assistance. Yet, from the start, the 
McKinney-Vento Act invested in a wide range of interventions--including 
permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, education, mental 
health and substance addiction services, job training, and other 
interventions.
  Building on this basic infrastructure, academic research coupled with 
the hard-earned knowledge of practitioners and government have moved us 
to a place where we know much more about who the homeless are, and what 
it takes to end homelessness for them than we did in 1987.
  I am proud that the McKinney-Vento Act itself grew out of Housing 
Subcommittee hearings then-Chairman Gonzales convened starting 25 years 
ago, and, after Congress returns from its August recess, I intend to 
hold a series of four in-depth Subcommittee hearings to examine lessons 
learned in the intervening period in order to formulate better federal 
housing policy, starting with an updated McKinney-Vento Homeless 
Assistance Act.
  But reauthorizing the McKinney-Vento Act, no matter how perfectly, is 
only a small piece of a real federal agenda to end homelessness. 
Another glaring theme emerges from the 1987 Congressional Record--the 
increasing lack of affordable housing and the Federal government's 
progressive disinvestment in housing production programs.
  Well, the situation has only gotten worse. As you know, the 800,000 
people who experience homelessness on any given night--over 10 percent 
of them in my home city of Los Angeles--are only the most visible 
feature of an affordable housing crisis that has reached epic 
proportions across the country.
  As Housing Subcommittee Chair, my response is simple. It's time to 
get the Federal government back in the affordable housing production 
business. I am hoping we start with enactment of H.R. 1851, The Section 
8 Voucher Improvement Act and H.R. 2895, the National Affordable 
Housing Trust Fund. Simply put, if the Federal government does not re-
engage on affordable housing at this scale, and more, our successors 
will face the prospect of introducing a resolution to mark the 40th 
anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Act in 2027. Let us hope we can 
render such a sad event unnecessary.

                              {time}  1415

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 561.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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