[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 7 (Monday, January 13, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H186-H188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HOMELESS ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2019

  Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 4302) to authorize public housing agencies to share 
certain data regarding homeless individuals and families for the 
provision of housing and services, and for other purposes, as amended.

[[Page H187]]

  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4302

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Homeless Assistance Act of 
     2019''.

     SEC. 2. LIMITED AUTHORITY TO SHARE INFORMATION REGARDING 
                   HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH 
                   APPROPRIATE ENTITY WITHIN CONTINUUM OF CARE.

       Section 2 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
     U.S.C. 1437) is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new subsection:
       ``(c) Limited Authority to Share Information Regarding 
     Homeless Individuals and Families With Appropriate Entity 
     Within Continuum of Care.--Notwithstanding section 904 of the 
     Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 
     1988 (42 U.S.C. 3544), a public housing agency may disclose, 
     to the collaborative applicant of the local Continuum of Care 
     or designee of the collaborative applicant within which the 
     jurisdiction of the public housing agency is located, 
     information regarding individuals and families who are 
     homeless (as such term is used in section 103 of the 
     McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302)) or 
     at risk of homelessness (as such term is used in section 401 
     of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11360)), but only--
       ``(1) for the purpose of facilitating the identification, 
     assessment, and linkage of housing and supportive services 
     for such individuals and families to ensure continuity of 
     care, to the extent allowable under State Law;
       ``(2) if the public housing agency takes appropriate 
     measures to ensure that the privacy of the individuals and 
     families is protected and that the information, including any 
     personally identifiable information, is used only for the 
     purpose described in paragraph (1); and
       ``(3) if the public housing agency takes appropriate 
     measures to ensure clients' information and confidentiality 
     is protected pursuant to section 41411(c)(4) of the Violence 
     Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12491(c)(4)), and any 
     regulations promulgated pursuant to such section.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Guam (Mr. San Nicolas) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material 
thereon.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4302, the Homeless 
Assistance Act of 2019. This bill would allow public housing agencies 
to share data exclusively with local continuums of care to better 
coordinate housing and supportive services for people experiencing 
homelessness.
  Homelessness has reached a crisis level in our country and continues 
to grow. According to HUD's newly released point-in-time count, over 
568,000 people have experienced homelessness on any given night in 
2019, representing a 3 percent increase from the previous year. 
California, for example, saw a 21 percent increase in homelessness and 
the city of Los Angeles saw a 13 percent increase.
  These homelessness issues, Madam Speaker, extend not just throughout 
our 50 United States but into our various territories as well.
  Given the growing crisis, we need every tool in the toolbox to help. 
Sharing data between local agencies to help coordinate housing 
placements and services is one of those tools.
  While local governments are working hard to help people experiencing 
homelessness, bureaucracy can get in the way. Individuals often have to 
resubmit the same information and paperwork to various local agencies 
when seeking assistance, which can delay or prevent them from getting 
the help they need.
  H.R. 4302, the Homeless Assistance Act, would help remove this 
barrier so that public housing authorities and continuums of care can 
share data and target appropriate interventions to improve the 
collaboration and coordination of housing and supportive services.
  This type of information sharing and coordination can ultimately help 
reduce the overall number of people experiencing homelessness. In fact, 
research from the Pew Institute demonstrated that data sharing among 
agencies reduced the number of veterans experiencing homelessness.
  This legislation also takes a special precaution to ensure the 
privacy of individuals whose information is being shared, especially 
victims of domestic violence. It is not made public.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Sherman, for introducing 
this critical legislation, which I know will be very helpful to local 
entities across the country that are doing everything they can to deal 
with the homelessness crisis.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on this important 
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 4302, the Homeless Assistance Act.
  Madam Speaker, homelessness is a very real problem across this 
country. In fact, more than half a million individuals are homeless on 
any given night in America.
  From cities like my own of Little Rock, Arkansas, to big metropolitan 
areas like Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, State and local 
governments have been unable to address this devastating human crisis 
fully.
  Last year, the committee held several hearings on homelessness. 
Throughout our hearings, the committee explored some of the root causes 
of homelessness, including restrictive local zoning policies, the harsh 
and punitive treatment of individuals who have no other place to turn, 
and the counterproductive Federal mandates on shelter providers that 
will close, not open, doors to people who are truly in need.
  The bill we have before us today, H.R. 4302, is designed to help 
prevent high-risk, vulnerable populations from ever becoming homeless.
  The bill allows local public housing agencies to share data and 
coordinate with other State and local government agencies and their 
local partnering service providers.
  Madam Speaker, I enjoyed working with the majority on this, and I 
thank my friends for helping protect that private data. The personally 
identifiable information was of concern to the minority, and I am 
grateful for the majority helping improve this bill to protect that 
private data of these Americans struggling with homelessness.
  But by sharing this data, these entities can help target and deliver 
supportive services to these vulnerable populations before they are 
displaced from their current housing situation. Sharing this data will, 
we hope, help localities better coordinate to prevent problems before 
they occur and keep more individuals in stable housing environments and 
off our streets.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from California, Mr. Sherman, the 
sponsor of this legislation, for his work in this area. I thank the 
chairwoman of the full committee, who has prioritized fighting 
homelessness since she was elected to Congress. I thank my friend from 
Guam for managing the time on this important bill.
  Madam Speaker, I recommend that my colleagues support H.R. 4302, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  H.R. 4302 is important legislation that will better assist local 
agencies in coordinating and providing services to people experiencing 
homelessness.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
important piece of legislation. I thank our colleagues on the other 
side of the aisle for their support as well.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, today, I rise in support of H.R. 
4302, the Homeless Assistance Act of 2019, which authorizes Public 
Housing Agencies to disclose relevant client information to local 
government entities and nonprofits. This legislation will enable 
communities to better facilitate housing and services for individuals 
and families experiencing homelessness, and it will also require these 
agencies to prioritize suitable privacy measures for their clients.
  This bill will address the challenge of coordination with local 
entities who provide housing and unique services to individuals and 
families experiencing homelessness. The Federal Privacy Act limits the 
ability of Public Housing

[[Page H188]]

Agencies to share critical and timely information with their community 
partners, thus creating an unnecessary barrier for individuals seeking 
assistance by requiring them to resubmit the same information and 
paperwork to multiple entities.
  The Homeless Assistance Act will allow agencies to share relevant 
client data with local government entities and nonprofits, solely for 
the purpose of expediting the identification, assessment, and linkage 
of individuals experiencing homelessness to housing and supportive 
services.
  As founder and co-chair of the Congressional Homelessness Caucus, I 
am proud to support the advancement of resources and capabilities 
needed to address housing insecurity and access to affordable housing 
in our communities.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Guam (Mr. San Nicolas) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4302, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________