[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 29 (Thursday, February 28, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E227-E228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPANDING THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DEFINITION OF ``HOMELESS 
                               VETERAN''

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANICE HAHN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 28, 2013

  Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, after over ten years of wars, we have a 
growing number of veterans in our nation. We have a responsibility to 
provide support and services for our soldiers once they return home. 
This includes the area of domestic violence.
  Sadly, our brave soldiers who return home after protecting our nation 
are not immune from domestic abuse. As I've said previously, we have a 
duty to our veterans. However, current law fails to fully protect those 
veterans who have been driven from their homes because of domestic 
violence.
  In order to reflect the modern day reality that there are more women 
in our military than ever before, it is important that we continue to 
update our laws to address emerging issues within this new trend.
  The civilian definition of homelessness includes people fleeing from 
domestic violence. However, the current law the Department of Veterans 
Affairs uses to administer benefits for homeless veterans does not 
recognize those driven from their homes by abuse as homeless.
  The full definition of ``homeless'' under the law includes the 
following: ``Any individual or family who is fleeing, or is attempting 
to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, 
or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions in the individual's 
or family's current housing situation, including where the health and 
safety of children are jeopardized, and who have no other residence and 
lack the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent 
housing.'' However, the Department of Veterans Affairs currently 
defines ``homeless veteran'' based on an incomplete citation of the 
civilian homeless law.
  That's why I have decided to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation 
with my colleague Congressman Runyan that would expand the Department 
of Veterans Affairs' definition of

[[Page E228]]

``homeless veteran'' to include veterans fleeing situations of domestic 
violence and other life threatening emergencies. As a result, this 
change will allow those veterans who find the courage and the means to 
leave their abusers the ability to access the benefits that should be 
available to all homeless veterans.
  This legislation is a bipartisan common sense bill that adds no 
additional cost to the taxpayer. When we introduced this bill last 
Congress, we were able to garner 72 co-sponsors from both sides of the 
aisle. The legislation also had the support of a number of 
organizations including:
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
AMVETS
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
The Service Women's Action Network
The Association of the US Navy
The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
Veterans for Common Sense
The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and 
    Youth
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  By passing this bill, we will ensure that this especially vulnerable 
population of veterans has the chance to access benefits the Department 
of Veterans Affairs already provides. After fighting for our country, 
our veterans should never find themselves without a safe home to come 
back to.

                          ____________________