[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 129 (Friday, September 21, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S6629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Johanns):
  S. 3614. A bill to establish a pilot program to authorize the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make grants to nonprofit 
organizations to rehabilitate and modify homes of disabled and low-
income veterans; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Housing 
Assistance for Veterans Act along with my colleague Senator Johanns.
  Our veterans have made many personal sacrifices in service to our 
nation. We must honor our commitment to provide them with the care they 
have earned and deserved, in both word and deed. One such way is to 
ensure that they have access to adequate housing.
  According to Rebuilding Together, more than a quarter of all 
veterans, about six million, are estimated to be disabled. In my home 
State of Rhode Island, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 
more than 19,000 veterans with disabilities, each of whom face their 
own unique challenges in terms of their housing needs.
  The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, has programs that assist 
these veterans in adapting and improving their homes. Unfortunately, 
these programs do not extend assistance to all veterans with 
disabilities. It is clear we must do more, and with this legislation, 
we are seeking to serve all veterans with disabilities, regardless of 
the severity of the disability and whether the disability is service-
connected. The Housing Assistance for Veterans Act will give them the 
opportunity to renovate and modify their existing homes by installing 
wheelchair ramps, widening doors, re-equipping rooms, and making 
necessary additions and adjustments to existing structures, all so that 
these homes are both more suitable and safer for our veterans.
  Our legislation encourages key stakeholders, such as the Department 
of Housing and Urban Development, the VA, housing non-profits, and 
veterans service organizations, to work together to serve our veterans. 
In order to extend the reach of this Federal funding, grant recipients 
would be expected to either match Federal funding or make in-kind 
contributions, through encouraging volunteers to help make repairs or 
engaging businesses to donate needed supplies.
  This bill is supported by Rebuilding Together, VetsFirst, Vietnam 
Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of 
America, and Habitat for Humanity. I thank Senator Johanns for working 
with me on this important bill, and I look forward to working with him 
and the rest of our colleagues to pass this legislation.

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