[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 44 (Monday, March 22, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2178-H2181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  END VETERAN HOMELESSNESS ACT OF 2010

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4810) to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 
improvements in the services provided for homeless veterans under the 
laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4810

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``End Veteran Homelessness Act 
     of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT AUTHORIZED TO BE APPROPRIATED FOR 
                   COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS 
                   VETERANS.

       Section 2013 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``fiscal year 2007'' and inserting ``fiscal 
     year 2010''; and
       (2) by striking ``$150,000,000'' and inserting 
     ``$200,000,000''.

     SEC. 3. IMPROVEMENT OF PAYMENTS FOR PROVIDING SERVICES TO 
                   HOMELESS VETERANS.

       (a) Improvement of Payments.--Section 2012 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``per diem'' wherever it appears;
       (2) in subsection (a)(2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) by striking ``daily cost of care'' and inserting 
     ``annual cost of furnishing services''; and
       (ii) by striking the second sentence;
       (B) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
     following new subparagraph (B):
       ``(B) The Secretary shall annually adjust the rate of 
     payment under subparagraph (A) to reflect anticipated changes 
     in the cost of furnishing services and to take into account 
     the cost of providing services in a particular geographic 
     area. The Secretary may set a maximum amount payable to a 
     grant recipient under this section.'';
       (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``other sources of 
     income'' and all that follows through the period at the end 
     and inserting ``the cost of services provided by the grant 
     recipient as the Secretary may require to assist the 
     Secretary in making the determination under subparagraph 
     (A)'';
       (D) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the 
     following new subparagraph (D):
       ``(D) In making the determination under subparagraph (A), 
     the Secretary may consider the availability of other sources 
     of income, including payments to the grant recipient or 
     eligible entity for furnishing services to homeless veterans 
     under programs other than under this subchapter, payments or 
     grants from other departments or agencies of the United 
     States, from departments or agencies of State or local 
     governments, or from private entities or organizations.''; 
     and
       (E) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(E) The Secretary shall authorize payments under this 
     subsection to each grant recipient on an annual basis but 
     shall make a payment to each grant recipient for each 
     calendar quarter in an amount equal to a portion of the 
     annual amount authorized for such recipient. Upon the 
     expiration of a calendar quarter, each grant recipient shall 
     provide to the Secretary a statement of the amount spent by 
     the recipient during that calendar quarter, and if the amount 
     spent is less than the amount provided for that calendar 
     quarter, repay to the Secretary the balance. If the amount 
     spent by a grant recipient for such purpose for a calendar 
     quarter exceeds the amount provided to the recipient for that 
     quarter, the Secretary shall make an additional payment to 
     the recipient in an amount equal to the amount by which the 
     amount so spent exceeded the amount so provided, as long as 
     the total amount provided to such recipient in a calendar 
     year does not exceed the amount of the annual payment for 
     that recipient.'';
       (3) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (3) and 
     inserting the following new paragraph (3):
       ``(3) Payments under this subsection to a grant recipient 
     or eligible entity may be used to match, or in combination 
     with, other payments or grants for which the recipient or 
     entity is eligible.''; and
       (4) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by striking paragraph (2); and
       (B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2).
       (b) Clerical Amendments.--
       (1) Section heading.--The section heading for such section 
     is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 2012. Payments for furnishing services to homeless 
       veterans''.

       (2) Subsection heading.--The heading for subsection (a) of 
     such section is amended by striking ``Per Diem''.
       (3) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended by striking 
     the item relating to section 2012 and inserting the following 
     new item:

``2012. Payments for furnishing services to homeless veterans.''.

     SEC. 4. SUPPORTED HOUSING PROGRAM OUTREACH.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 20 of title 38, United States 
     Code, is further amended by adding at the end of subchapter 
     III the following new section:

     ``Sec. 2024. Supported housing program outreach

       ``(a) Landlord Outreach.--(1) The Secretary shall ensure 
     that each medical center of the Department that provides 
     treatment and services under the supported housing program 
     under section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 
     1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) employs or provides (through 
     coordination with a public housing agency, homeless service 
     provider, or other appropriate organization) one or more 
     specialists, which may include peer specialists who were 
     formerly homeless veterans, for handling housing issues in 
     conjunction with the program under this subsection.
       ``(2) Such specialists shall conduct outreach to landlords 
     to encourage and facilitate participation in the supportive 
     housing program, mediate disputes between veterans receiving 
     assistance under such program and landlords, establish and 
     maintain a list of dwelling units available for rental with 
     assistance under such program, and carry out other 
     appropriate activities.
       ``(b) Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing 
     Assistance.--The Secretary shall coordinate with the 
     Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide 
     assistance to homeless veterans in accessing the Homelessness 
     Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program administered by the 
     Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for assistance for 
     basic essentials, security deposits for rental dwelling 
     units, and advance payments of the first month's rent for 
     such units.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end of 
     the items relating to subchapter III the following new item:

``2024. Supported housing program outreach.''.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL 
                   ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY 
                   LOW-INCOME VETERAN FAMILIES IN PERMANENT 
                   HOUSING.

       Section 2044(e) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following 
     new subparagraphs:
       ``(D) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
       ``(E) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.
       ``(F) $100,000,000 for each subsequent fiscal year.''; and

[[Page H2179]]

       (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``each of the fiscal year 
     2009 through 2011'' and inserting ``each fiscal year''.

     SEC. 6. PROMOTION OF AWARENESS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS PROGRAMS TO ASSIST HOMELESS VETERANS 
                   AMONG HOMELESS WOMEN VETERANS AND HOMELESS 
                   VETERANS WITH CHILDREN.

       Section 532 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting after ``homeless veterans'' the following: ``(with 
     a special emphasis on promoting awareness of such assistance 
     among homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with 
     children)''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) 
each will control 20 minutes each.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.

                              {time}  1415

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, this is the first of a series of six pieces of 
legislation that will benefit our Nation's veterans. This Congress, and 
certainly this committee, has been concerned with these veterans in our 
daily work, and we are proud to present these items which will help 
prevent veterans' homelessness, protect National Guard employment, help 
veterans keep their home, give veterans a cost-of-living adjustment.
  Before I begin on this package, Madam Speaker, I just would like to 
briefly comment on a little item that came up yesterday during the 
debate on health care.
  One of our veterans service organizations and the ranking member of 
our committee claimed that the bill that we would pass would hurt 
veterans' health care. I just want to point out on behalf of all the 
Chairs on this side of the aisle, all the legal opinions that have been 
made, veterans' health care is not affected by the health care bill 
that we passed. All the benefits will be retained. Nobody will be 
penalized for being part of the veterans health care system or any 
other part of veterans health benefits.
  Congress actually received a letter yesterday from the Vietnam 
Veterans of America which said: ``It is unfortunate that some continue 
to raise what is now even more clearly a false alarm that is apparently 
meant to frighten veterans and their families in order to prompt them 
to oppose the pending legislation. While there is a legitimate debate 
as to whether or not the pending health care measure should become law, 
Vietnam Veterans of America does not appreciate spreading rumors that 
are not accurate by any political partisan from any point of the 
political spectrum.''
  I just want to allay any fears that veterans have about this health 
care legislation. And certainly our committee, should anything arise 
that was unintended, we will move quickly to make sure that veterans 
health care is kept at a high quality and no one is penalized for 
having veterans health care in this country. So I want to point that 
out, Madam Speaker.
  Now, to get back to the bill we have, H.R. 4810, under consideration. 
Almost half the homeless on the street tonight, Madam Speaker, are 
veterans--anywhere from 150,000 to 200,000. This is a national 
disgrace. It is our national disgrace. It's been an issue that I have 
been working on since I came to Congress when I joined the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs almost 18 years ago. Now that the Democrats have the 
majority, we want to put forward a plan, as our Secretary of Veterans' 
Affairs has announced, a plan to end veterans' homeless within 5 years. 
Zero tolerance. That's going to be our policy.
  Today we have the opportunity to take bold action to combat 
homelessness, but, as I said, we have a willing and eager 
administration to make sure that we achieve this goal. President Obama 
and his Secretary of Veterans' Affairs have, as I said, pledged to end 
homelessness over the next 5 years. Our Secretary has committed to 
expanding proven programs and launching innovative services to prevent 
veterans from falling into homelessness.
  This bill before us, H.R. 4810, does three important things to 
provide the administration with the necessary tools to combat 
homelessness:
  First, the bill would provide additional funding for the Grant and 
Per Diem Program, which provides grants to community agencies so they 
can, in turn, provide transitional housing, health services, and other 
supportive services to homeless veterans. Providing needed resources to 
the local agencies that care for our homeless veterans is just one way 
our grateful Nation can support the vital and compassionate work 
performed in communities all across the country.
  Second, this bill helps low-income veteran families who are occupying 
permanent housing from becoming homeless by extending powerful and 
effective support services. Examples of these services include 
outreach, case management, and assistance in obtaining benefits from 
the VA, as well as public benefits from State and local agencies.
  Finally, H.R. 4810 helps the increasing number of female veterans who 
end up being homeless. This is especially magnified for our women 
veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, who are four times more 
likely to become homeless than their male counterparts. My bill would 
direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to focus outreach efforts on 
homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children.
  This powerful bill is the result of significant work by the entire 
committee. I would like to thank the chairman of our Subcommittee on 
Health, Mike Michaud from Maine, and Ranking Member Henry Brown from 
South Carolina for the bipartisan leadership they demonstrated on this 
bill. I'd also like to recognize the important contributions of our 
colleagues Harry Teague of New Mexico, Ciro Rodriguez of Texas, and 
Phil Hare of Illinois. Each of these Members are true advocates for 
homeless veterans and introduced legislation helping homeless veterans 
that are now key provisions of this bill. I'd also like to thank our 
staff from the Health Committee, especially our staff director, Cathy 
Wiblemo, who has worked so hard on this legislation for such a long 
time.
  There are hundreds of thousands of servicemembers returning from Iraq 
and Afghanistan. It is our duty as a Nation, when we put our men and 
women in harm's way, to care for them when they return. We must also 
live up to the promise to honor the service and sacrifices of our 
veterans from previous conflicts. This is an opportunity today, Madam 
Speaker, to make a difference in the lives of veterans who are sleeping 
in cars, looking for public housing, searching for relief, and feeling 
helpless.
  I urge all of our colleagues to pass H.R. 4810 to provide the help 
and support that our homeless veterans need and deserve.
  I would reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STEARNS. I would say to the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, Mr. Filner, he just did a 1-minute where he said, Let it go, 
let it go. So I'm a little surprised he's bringing up the health care 
bill and talking about it prior to these six wonderful bills we're 
going to pass on Veterans' Affairs. But since he brought it up, I think 
it's probably appropriate that I return with our side of this issue, 
because, as he pointed out, last night the House of Representatives 
passed the Senate bill, which was the government setting up exchanges--
which these exchanges include taxes, they include mandates and 
regulation, and it's phased in over a number of years to 2014. But 
there are some problems, frankly, with that bill. If there were no 
problems, then Ike Skelton, who's chairman of the Armed Services 
Committee, would not have brought it up 2 days ago, sort of furiously 
to try to get it in, because he voted against the health care bill.
  So the chairman of the Armed Services Committee voted against the 
Senate health care bill last night. The day before that, he brought up 
the idea that we have to protect DoD veterans who are on TRICARE. 
That's probably one of the flaws in the bill that's being sent to the 
President. It has some serious ramifications for our military and 
dependents under TRICARE, Madam Speaker, for veterans' widows, orphans, 
and for children suffering from spina bifida as a result of a parent's 
exposure to Agent Orange during the wars in Korea and Vietnam. As 
deputy ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I joined 
with Ranking Member Steve Buyer, of our committee, and Armed Services 
Committee Ranking Member Buck McKeon to introduce

[[Page H2180]]

H.R. 4894 to protect the Department of Defense and the VA 
beneficiaries.
  So I'm a little surprised that the Democrat leadership didn't take up 
our bill. Instead, they passed a more limited bill introduced by, as I 
mentioned, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Ike Skelton, 
which, after reading it, provides limited protection for TRICARE 
beneficiaries but not the DOD and VA health care systems and the VA 
health care benefits. Moreover, I was also surprised to learn from the 
Congressional Budget Office there could be a cost associated with our 
bill, the $4.4 billion, so-called, for the cost of our bill. I'm an 
original cosponsor.
  So what are the implications for these beneficiaries? Simply, it 
means that the government takeover of health care could result in a 
savings of $4.4 billion made on the backs of servicemembers, widows, 
and orphans, and children suffering from spina bifida as a result of a 
parent's exposure to Agent Orange. I don't think the public realizes 
that. So I think it's important to get this information out, and I'm 
hopeful that we can solve this problem.
  Over the weekend, there were a lot of claims made that there is no 
problem for TRICARE and VA health care beneficiaries under the Senate 
health care bill that was passed by the Democrats yesterday. Well, 
frankly, there is, and it's a big problem. As I mentioned earlier, 
Madam Speaker, if it wasn't a problem, then Ike Skelton, the Armed 
Services Committee chairman, would not have been here 2 days ago trying 
to offer a scaled-down bill to correct the problem. He would not have 
taken his own bill, H.R. 4887, to the floor in a quick effort to solve 
this issue.
  So it's important to reiterate that this bill does not protect the 
DOD and VA health care systems. It doesn't fully address TRICARE 
either, as a result of the CBO score of H.R. 4887. The Ike Skelton bill 
does not stop $4.5 billion from being cut from TRICARE, but we think 
ours will. The veterans service organizations know what is happening. 
The American Legion, the VFW, DAV, and the National Association of 
Uniformed Services have all supported our bill, H.R. 4894, which they 
believe will protect veterans.
  So, Madam Speaker, I hope that the House Democrat leadership will see 
fit to act as soon as possible to allay the fears of all these veteran 
service organizations as soon as possible to correct the measure with 
H.R. 4894, to stop these cuts and to protect the individuals and their 
families who have served and sacrificed on behalf of our Nation and, I 
might add, to allay the fears of men at war who think when they come 
back they will retire or possibly be under Champus/VA.
  With those comments, let me then move to the bill that we're 
considering. I rise in support of H.R. 4810, End Veteran Homeless Act 
of 2010.
  Now, my colleagues, this bill would amend Title 38 of the United 
States Code to make certain improvements in the services provided for 
homeless veterans. This important legislation represents a combination 
of a number of bills that moved through the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, and I believe truly exemplifies the manner in which our 
committee can and does work together in a bipartisan fashion to bring 
forth legislation that improves the lives of our veterans.
  It is with a deep and personal commitment that I and everybody else 
on the Veterans' Affairs Committee embrace and aggressively want to 
tackle the challenge of homelessness and veterans and forward our 
mutual goals of ending this chronic problem among our veterans.
  Since the enactment of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance 
Act back in 2001, which significantly expanded the VA's homeless 
program, we've seen a significant number of previously homeless 
veterans returning to leading productive and sober lives. H.R. 4810 
continues that proactive approach by permanently extending a VA program 
that provides grants to entities that help low-income families that are 
homeless, transitioning to permanent housing, or already in permanent 
housing; increasing the annual amounts authorized for VA's Homeless 
Grant and Per Diem Program from $150 million to $200 million; and 
encouraging the VA to expand its promotion for homeless veterans to 
include programs for homeless veterans that are female or that have 
children.
  VA's latest estimate indicates that about 107,000 veterans were 
homeless on any one given night last year. With the unemployment rate 
for veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi 
Freedom aged 18 to 24 standing at a staggering 21.1 percent, more 
simply must be done to ensure that our veterans come home not to 
joblessness and homelessness, but to supportive communities and 
meaningful employment.

                              {time}  1430

  I recently had the pleasure of participating in the grand opening of 
the new HONOR--Hope, Opportunities, Networking, Outreach, and 
Recovery--Center in my congressional district in Gainesville, Florida. 
This newly renovated comprehensive VA homeless center includes a 45-bed 
domiciliary to care for disabled and homeless veterans with special 
medical needs. The HONOR Center will also have program offices for 
outreach, grant and per diem, and other essential services, including a 
special area that's designated just for women. The HONOR Center will 
provide a full continuum of care and a homelike environment and will 
provide homeless veterans with family-style dining and special 
recreation areas including a nice library with a meditation room and a 
full-time recreational therapist.
  The HONOR Center has been in development for nearly 3 years, and I 
was very pleased and proud to see such a wonderful resource for 
homeless veterans open in my congressional district in Gainesville, 
Florida.
  So, Madam Speaker, H.R. 4810, the End Veteran Homeless Act, is one 
important step in achieving our goal of eliminating homelessness among 
veterans. But still, my colleagues, it is only one step. While I 
support its passage, I look forward to continuing to work hard in the 
future to make sure America's veterans are welcomed back from service 
with open arms, good jobs, and happy and healthy homes.
  Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I would like to 
thank Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer, who unfortunately 
couldn't be here this morning, of the Veterans' Affairs Committee as 
well as Chairman Michaud and Ranking Member Brown of the Subcommittee 
on Health for bringing this bill forward. I urge my colleagues to 
support H.R. 4810 and do their part to ensure that not a single one of 
the brave men and women who fight in uniform to defend our rights come 
home to a life without a job and a home.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, a famous President once said: ``We have 
nothing to fear but fear itself.'' The deputy ranking member--I didn't 
know we had such a title--is spreading fear, and I would just like to 
make it clear to every veteran, every family of veterans, and all 
Americans, there will be no reduction of any benefits of any veteran in 
the veterans health care system. There will be no taxes. There will be 
no diminution of services. Let's just make that clear.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 4810.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FILNER. I urge my colleagues to unanimously support the bill. I 
have no further requests for time and yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4810.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

[[Page H2181]]



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