[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 171 (Thursday, November 19, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1665-E1666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       THE PRESIDENT'S VOW: ENDING VETERANS HOMELESSNESS BY 2015

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 19, 2015

  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Reps. Charles Rangel (D-NY), 
Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) and I rise within the 100 days remaining to 
reaffirm our support for the President's Vow to End Veterans 
Homelessness by December 2015. We also reaffirm the First Lady and Dr. 
Biden's White House Joining Forces Initiative aimed at supporting 
military families, and last year's Mayor's Challenge to End 
Homelessness among veterans.
  We also want to recognize the legendary Hon. Charles Rangel (D-NY), 
who was the first to call attention to our nation's greatest failing 
`the plight of our homeless veterans' in 1992, on the heels of the 
seminal report `Heroes Today, Homeless Tomorrow.' That report revealed 
that 250,000 men, or one of every three single homeless men sleeping on 
the streets or in shelters, on any given night, were veterans and 40% 
were Black. Now, 23 years later the Hons. Charles Rangel, Sanford 
Bishop, Jr, and I convened the forum, ``President's Vow'' to review the 
past 20 year's accomplishments and shortfalls against the backdrop of 
Rep. Rangel's `Yesterday's Military Heroes Ought Not be Today's 
Homeless,' where high unemployment, homelessness, and health concerns 
prevailed.
  The forum successfully blended the President's Vow and First Lady's 
Mayor's Challenge, along with Congressional efforts, while placing 
Black and women veterans homelessness within the framework of the 
national dialogue, or discussion. Furthermore, the forum succeeded in 
impressing upon lawmakers and the audience a fundamental truth that 
`race and gender matter' in our comprehension of 21st century at-risk 
and homeless veterans. It argued the persuasive case of urban veterans' 
homelessness, joblessness and incarceration, the link between 
homelessness, poverty and hunger among veterans across America, 
disparities in health outcomes for male and female veterans, the triple 
disadvantages for African American female veterans, and the need for 
more case management services, transitional housing and permanent 
affordable housing development. It also exposed the need for better 
case worker-to-veteran ratios.
  We began the forum with a musical prelude performed by David Bratton, 
known as the DC Lou Rawls, and the traditional military presenting of 
colors. In addition, Dr. James Averhart, Past President of the Montford 
Point Marine Association led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and 
Chaplain Michael McCoy, Associate Director of VA Chaplains offered the 
invocation and benediction.
  Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY) then introduced Col. Nicole 
Malachowski, USAF, Iraq Combat Pilot and Executive Director of the 
White House Joining Forces Initiative, who brought greetings from First 
Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden as a morale booster. 
Accompanying greetings came from Hon. Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) and 
Hon. Corrine Brown's (D-FL), who also introduced the new VA 
UnderSecretary for Health Dr. David Shulkin, MD for keynote remarks. 
Afterward, Congressman Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) introduced our 
impressive panelist and Executive Director Ron Armstead as moderator 
for the panel discussion to come. The panel discussion consisted of the 
following members:
  Col. Eugene Scott, USA, Ret., President of Chicago Defender 
Charities, started by focusing on the Chicago Defenders more than 100-
year history in defense of the black community. However, he was more 
outspoken about veterans' homelessness and in highlighting veterans' 
hunger in Chicago. Georgia State Legislator Calvin Symre, who is also 
Past President, National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) 
stated that NBCSL is formulating and leading discussions around 
homeless veterans policies with the White House and other agencies. The 
intention is to mobilize everyone at the state, city and local levels 
for support, because the struggle doesn't end, and there is always the 
need for more people to be involved. Nan Roman, President/CEO, National 
Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), presented statistics on veterans 
homelessness and discussed the overrepresentation of African Americans, 
who represent only 10% of the general veterans' population, adding 
that, although numbers appear to be declining, there still is a 
discrepancy. Gregory Scott, President/CEO, New Directions for Veterans 
(ND), talked about his father (a troubled Korean war veteran) who died 
all too soon and about his family knowing nothing about PTSD, thus 
establishing the importance of the connection between veterans and 
their families, in identifying with not only the homeless, but with all 
struggling veterans.
  Baylee Crone, President/CEO, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans 
(NCHV) described the coalition, its services and its efforts to end 
chronic homelessness as well as the importance of listening to its 
founders, such as Ralph Cooper, M.Ed., a co-founder of NCHV, and 
others. Steve Peck, President/CEO of U.S. VETS, suggested the need for 
a long-range plan beyond December 2015. Carlyre Holder, President, 
National Association for Blacks in Crimination Justice (NABCJ), spoke 
about the criminal justice system and the need for reform--noting that 
President Barack Obama is the first president ever to visit a federal 
prison--in addition to expressing the NABCJ's support of social justice 
and veterans' courts. Ed Jennings, Southeast Regional Director, U.S. 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), indicated that the 
vast majority of the First Lady's Mayor's Challenge and state and other 
official signers come from the southeast region of HUD. The latest 
numbers being 555, out of 854 nationally from Region 4.
  The question-and-answer period was a lively exchange between 
attendees and panel members reflecting motivation, stimulated thinking 
and enthusiasm; Anthony Love, VA Senior Advisor and Director of 
Community Engagement remained throughout in order to answer questions 
and address concerns regarding homelessness.
  The Veterans Braintrust Homeless Forum was significant for its 
timing--we were 100 days away from the December 2015 deadline for 
ending veterans homelessness. And we are embracing the First Lady's and 
Dr. Biden's agenda, along with fulfilling our central mission of 
advocating nationally and articulating clearly the message that 
``Blacks are continually overrepresented among the homeless veterans 
population, despite being only 10% of the general veterans 
population.'' The key question--why are Black veterans 
disproportionately represented among the homeless--remains essentially 
unanswered, as does the issue of why ``women veterans are now the 
fastest growing segment of the homeless population, particularly single 
women with children.'' Therefore, more needs to be done before the 
national media declares victory, and the `political and public will' 
goes away.
  Although, we are watching the national homeless statistics in order 
to anticipate and formulate the next steps, we envisioned the forum as 
part of an ``all hands on deck'' effort and opportunity for enhancing 
homeless veterans policy, programs, services with outside-the-box 
problem solving. Yet, we realized that representatives from the DC area 
alone were absent for some unknown reason. Further, despite not 
requesting the Friday morning forum

[[Page E1666]]

be recorded, we did manage to audio record the Saturday homeless 
advocates and providers roundtable discussion as per Dr. William 
Lawson's advising the need to write, publish and develop articles, 
policy papers, and talking points, as a way of contributing to the 
literature. Furthermore, charter member Tom Harris suggested that the 
recording be sent to members across the country, so it can be shared 
locally for people to hear and discuss.

  Most importantly, the forum feedback was highly favorable, with 
comments like `the forum was on point,' `I learned so much,' `great 
job,' `increditable,' `awesome,' `phenomenal,' `I thought it was great 
for Congressional representatives to focus on homeless veterans,' 
`impressed with panel and listened intensely,' `made good contacts,' 
`well organized,' and `it was a one stop shop of information giving a 
broad perspective (from coast to coast), or a snap shot of black 
veterans status, or circumstantial situation, particularly for those of 
us on limited budgets and fixed incomes.' The general consensus was 
that we are making progress, but we still have work to do. 
Consequently, two tangible forum outcomes under serious consideration 
are crafting a position/policy paper and creating a new Veterans 
Braintrust Homeless Committee consisting of advocates and providers 
from the community or grassroots level. Also under consideration is 
planning a follow-up session with the strong support of the National 
Alliance to End Homelessness and others to include either a Capitol 
Hill Briefing and/or high level meetings with Congresswoman Brown (D-
FL) and other leaders in Congress.
  The Annual Gala Reception and Awards Ceremony was, as usual, `a 
standing room only' affair in the Cannon House Office's Room 334 
(Veterans Hearing Room). With a musical showcase performed by DC's Lou 
Rawls, followed by Congresswoman Brown's welcome and introduction of 
Veterans Affairs personnel, committee staffers and Don Phillips, 
Minority Staff Director, House Committee on Veterans Affairs (HCVA), in 
addition to our very special guest Martin Luther King III, and Pastor 
Leon Bryant, Sr., who blessed the food. In his role as Master of 
Ceremonies Executive Director Ron Armstead presented a series of gifts 
to Congresswoman Brown: first, a mug inscribed `The Best Man for the 
Job is a Woman'; second, a civil war book titled ``Firebrand of 
Liberty--The Story of Two Black Regiments that Changed the Course of 
the Civil War'' by Stephen V. Ash, and third, a special Josiah Walls 
citation on behalf of Dr. Frank Smith, Jr., Founder of the African 
American Civil War Memorial Museum, located in Washington, DC.
  Deserving 2015 Awardees were: Andrae Bailey, Abraham House-El, 
Gregory Crawford, Dr. Sharon Elliott-Bynum, Duery Felton, Jr., Irvin 
Goodwin, Clifton Lewis, Bruce Marks, Ivan Mason, Wendy McClinton, Col. 
Eugene Scott, USA, Ret., Gregory Scott, M. William Sermons, Darryl 
Vincent, Cordell Walker, Martha Watts, Alshi Williams, Larry Williams, 
A Step Forward, Inc., Catholic Charities St. Leo Campus for Veterans, 
Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, Final Salute, Inc., Greater 
Chicago Food Depository, Healing with CAARE, Inc., Joseph's Place, 
National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Association of American 
Veterans, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, Neighborhood 
Assistance Corporation of America, Samuel L. Felton Community Center, 
The Jericho Project, United States Veteran Initiative (U.S. VETs), 
United Way of King County, United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, 
Veterans on the Rise, Michigan Veterans Foundation, Stand Down House, 
Film: `Sweet Georgia Brown' and Historical Group: National World War II 
Museum Traveling Exhibit: `Fight for the Right to Fight: The African 
American Experience in World War II.'
  The official awards ceremony concluded with the playing of Ray 
Charles' rendition of ``America the Beautiful,'' coupled with times are 
``Changin'' by Brass Construction to underscore the important 
historical changes taking place: from the Civil War to Josiah Walls, 
Florida's Black Congressman of Reconstruction, to the 50th Anniversary 
of the successful passage of the Voting Rights Act, to Rep. Brown's 
election to Congress after the passage of 127 years, and her present 
status as Ranking Democratic member of the House Veterans Affairs 
Committee. But, the recent Florida GOP redistricting plot and TVOne 
Roland Martin interview where she states ``if you are not at the table, 
you are on the menu,'' is cause to rethink the earlier musical premise.
  Special acknowledgements go to Ralph Cooper, Mel King, Pamela King, 
Eva Kerr, South End Technology Center at Tent City, Julius Hayes, 
Allene Carter, Dr. Fari Nzinga, Todd Williams, Ronald Jackson, Sr., 
Wendy McClinton, Larry Williams, Gregory Crawford, Jas Boothe, Irvin 
Goodwin, Dr. Virginia Brown, Dr. William Lawson, Prof. Joel Beeson, 
Prof. Chad Williams, Ernest Washington, Jr., Henry `Tabu' Taylor, 
Bonnie Perry, T. Michael Sullivan, Anthony Hawkins and Shantrel Brown; 
Congressional staffers Ronnie Simmons, Rontel Batie, Stephanie Anim-
Yankah, Nick Martinelli, Chester Glover, Reginald McGill, Jackie Gray, 
Carla Wiley, Jonathan Halpern, William `Bill' Golembiewski, Hannah Kim, 
and Reba Raffaelli.
  Finally, we close by quoting decorated Korean War veteran Rep. 
Charles B. Rangel (D-NY)--``No American let alone African American who 
serves this great nation deserves to be left on the streets of America 
homeless or alone. And shouldn't disproportionate African American 
homeless veterans be a 21st century civil rights issue?''

                          ____________________