[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1800]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCING A HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND 
           IDEALS OF NATIONAL HOMELESS PERSONS' MEMORIAL DAY

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 29, 2010

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a 
concurrent resolution to support the goals and ideals of National 
Homeless Persons' Memorial Day, in recognition of the people who have 
died on our streets, in emergency shelters, condemned or abandoned 
properties, and from elements directly related to homelessness.
  On or near the first day of winter and the longest night of the year, 
National Homeless Persons' Memorial events have been held nationwide 
every year since 1990 to remember the homeless persons whose lives and 
deaths might otherwise go without any public recognition.
  Throughout my home state of Florida, this important day is being 
recognized, along with over 200 other local municipalities, 
organizations, and statewide organizations throughout the United 
States. With the support of the National Coalition for the Homeless, 
National Consumer Advisory Board, and the National Health Care for the 
Homeless Council, National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day brings 
attention to the tragedy of homelessness and to remember our homeless 
neighbors and friends who have paid the ultimate price for our nation's 
failure to end homelessness.
  The statistics are daunting: more than half a million people in the 
United States do not have a place to call home each night and half of 
them are without shelter; nationwide each year, an estimated 2,000,000 
people experience homelessness; and the mortality rate among homeless 
populations has been shown to be almost four times that of the general 
population.
  As American citizens, it is not only our desire to help those in 
need; it is our duty to provide every homeless man, woman, and child 
with a place to sleep at night, an opportunity to sustain economic 
stability, and the right to access health care.
  On June 22, 2010, President Obama and Members of Congress were 
presented with ``Opening Doors: the federal strategic plan to prevent 
and end homelessness'' which describes how the federal government will 
partner with states, local communities, non-profit organizations and 
the private sector. This resolution provides us with the opportunity to 
commend the efforts of the States, territories, and possessions of the 
United States who support the goals and ideals of National Homeless 
Persons' Memorial Day, to encourage those not already doing so, and to 
salute the dedicated professionals and organizations who provide 
assistance 365 days a year to people in need.
  It is time we acknowledge, as a nation, all of the people in our 
country living on the streets who have paid the ultimate price for our 
failure to end homelessness. In remembering those who died on the 
streets, the cause of ending homelessness is kept urgent as is the 
Nation's collective commitment to preventing such deaths in the future.
  I urge my colleagues to support this House Concurrent Resolution and 
reaffirm Congress' commitment to ending homelessness by promoting a 
comprehensive national response that addresses the housing, health 
care, income, and civil rights causal factors and consequences of 
extreme poverty. Let us make this year's first night of winter and 
longest night of the year, December 21, 2010, a true national day.

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