[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 9, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3044-S3045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BEGICH (for himself and Mr. Boozman):
  S. 3049. A bill to amend title 39, United States Code, to expand the 
definition of homeless veteran for purposes of benefits under the laws 
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, today I rise with my colleague from 
Arkansas, Senator Boozman, to introduce a bill that will help veterans 
who have been forced out of their homes because of domestic violence. 
This bill will expand the definition of homeless veteran to include 
domestic violence.
  Due to an oversight in the law, the legal definition of ``homeless 
veterans'' differs significantly from the existing definition of 
homelessness. Existing law recognizes individuals who have

[[Page S3045]]

been forced from their homes by domestic violence as ``homeless'' but 
for the purposes of special ``homeless veteran'' benefits, this 
situation is overlooked. The small wording change in our bill will 
allow those veterans who are in a domestic violence situation access to 
the same benefits available to other homeless veterans. In order to 
qualify for benefits offered to homeless veterans through the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, must meet the definition of homeless in 
the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. That is all we are 
changing.
  One out of four women will experience domestic violence sometime in 
her lifetime, including veterans who have served honorably for this 
country. They should qualify for the benefits they deserve and need to 
protect them.
  This bill simply updates the legal definition of ``homeless veteran'' 
to bring it to the same standard as the rest of the law--correcting a 
grievous oversight that could deny those who served our country the 
support and benefits they earned a thousand times over with their 
patriotism and courage.
  In closing, it is an honor for me to serve as a member of the Senate 
Veterans' Affairs Committee. I feel very privileged to work on behalf 
of our veterans. I appreciate the work of my distinguished colleagues 
on the committee and ask them and all senators to join me in supporting 
this small but very important expanded definition of homeless veterans.
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