[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 54 (Thursday, March 28, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2091]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Gillibrand, 
        Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Smith, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Cortez 
        Masto, Ms. Harris, and Ms. Rosen):
  S. 923. A bill to fight homelessness in the United States by 
authorizing a grant program within the Health Resources and Services 
Administration for housing programs that offer comprehensive services 
and intensive case management for homeless individuals and families; to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the 
``Fighting Homelessness with Services and Housing Act.'' This bill 
would help address our Nation's current homelessness crisis by 
establishing a new Federal grant program to increase support for 
comprehensive services paired with housing.
  As we have seen with the growing diversity of our homeless 
populations--families with children, veterans, individuals with mental 
health conditions, people who simply could not keep up with increases 
in rent--our Nation's homelessness crisis is not going to resolve 
itself on its own.
  According to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department 
of Housing and Urban Development, there are more than 552,000 homeless 
individuals and families in the United States. Nearly 25 percent of 
this population is in California, with approximately 129,972 homeless 
people sleeping on the streets on any given night.
  In a Nation as prosperous as ours, we can and we must do better. Our 
city, county, state, and Federal governments must work hand-in-hand 
with the non-profit and private sectors to establish collaborative 
efforts to significantly address the issue of homelessness.
  The good news is that we have seen a model that works: supportive 
housing can truly stabilize an individual or family and change their 
life. Supportive services such as mental and physical health care, 
substance abuse treatment, education and job training, and life skills 
such as financial literacy are critical components. Paired with 
intensive case management, supportive housing models make a difference.
  One success story is the Downtown Women's Center in Los Angeles. This 
shelter allows homeless and formerly homeless women to transform their 
lives through a combination of permanent, supportive housing and 
workforce development. This would not be possible without the Center's 
partnerships with the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County 
Department of Health, and other critical stakeholders. I've visited the 
Center, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same to see why this 
model works.
  It will take a significant investment to solve the current 
homelessness crisis. The ``Fighting Homelessness with Services and 
Housing Act'' authorizes a new Federal funding grant program of $750 
million per year, subject to annual appropriations. Grantees must serve 
individuals or families who are homeless or at risk of becoming 
homeless by providing housing paired with a comprehensive set of 
services, and they must provide a 25 percent match for any Federal 
funds received.
  Because each individual and every community is unique, the grant 
program created by this bill would be flexible in order to work in any 
region or for any homeless population. This bill supports the great 
work already being done across the country, allowing local governmental 
entities and non-profit organizations to expand their capacity and 
ensure a greater reach by putting Federal dollars where they will make 
the most effective impact.
  This bipartisan legislation is supported by a wide coalition of local 
government, housing, health, and child welfare organizations, including 
the Child Welfare League of America, Children's Defense Fund, 
Corporation for Supportive Housing, Mayors and CEOS for U.S. Housing 
Investment, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Association 
of Counties, National Education Association, National League of Cities, 
National Low Income Housing Coalition, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic 
Social Justice, and Treatment Communities of America.
  I particularly want to thank Senator Murkowski for working with me on 
this important issue. I hope our colleagues will join us in 
cosponsoring the bill and moving it through the Senate. Thank you Mr. 
President. I yield the floor.
                                 ______