[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 85 (Monday, May 17, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2364-H2365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1430
           HOMELESS VETERANS WITH CHILDREN REINTEGRATION ACT

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 240) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the 
Secretary of Labor to prioritize the provision of services to homeless 
veterans with dependents in carrying out homeless veterans 
reintegration programs, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 240

       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 Veterans with 
     Children Reintegration Act''.

     SEC. 2. PRIORITY UNDER HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION 
                   PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH DEPENDENTS.

       (a) Priority for Homeless Veterans With Dependent 
     Children.--Subsection (a) of section 2021 of title 38, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Subject to'' and inserting ``(1) Subject 
     to'';
       (2) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 
     subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) In conducting programs under this section, the 
     Secretary shall prioritize the provision of services to 
     homeless veterans with dependents.''.
       (b) Additional Reporting Requirements.--Subsection (d) of 
     such section is amended--
       (1) by striking ``the report an evaluation of services'' 
     and all that follows and inserting ``each such report--''; 
     and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(1) an evaluation of services furnished to veterans under 
     this section and an analysis of the information collected 
     under subsection (b);
       ``(2) an analysis of any gaps in access to shelter, safety, 
     and services for homeless veterans with dependent children; 
     and
       ``(3) recommendations for improving any gaps identified 
     under paragraph (2).''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to insert extraneous material on H.R. 240.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak on H.R. 240, the Homeless Veterans 
with Children Reintegration Act introduced by Congresswoman Julia 
Brownley.
  There is increasing concern that shelters and homeless veteran 
housing is not created to serve families, and that homeless veterans 
with children may avoid seeking out services because they are afraid of 
being separated from their children.
  Representative Brownley's legislation seeks to start addressing the 
issue by ensuring that veterans with families are prioritized within 
the homeless veterans reintegration program, or HVRP. HVRP seeks to 
address reintegrating homeless veterans into the workforce through 
grants to partner organizations.
  Mr. Speaker, in 2018, the Department of Labor identified homeless 
female veterans and veterans with families as one of the three priority 
populations for HVRP services. H.R. 240 would prioritize homeless 
veterans with dependent children within the homeless veteran 
reintegration program to ensure they get the resources they need to 
return to housing without the fear of losing their children should they 
seek help.
  I applaud Representative Brownley for her work on this legislation, 
and I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the Homeless Veterans 
with Children Reintegration Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 240, the Homeless Veterans 
with Children Reintegration Act.
  This legislation would direct the Secretary of Labor to prioritize 
homeless veterans with dependents when administering homeless 
reintegration programs.
  The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently released 
2020's Point-in-Time count for homeless veterans. This count showed 
that on a single night in 2020, there were 37,252 veterans living on 
the street. This is a slight increase of 0.4 percent from 2019.
  With COVID-19 impacting the economy and increasing unemployment, we 
must do everything we can to help our homeless veterans find work.
  By passing this bill to prioritize job training for homeless veterans 
with dependents, we are ensuring this vulnerable population is at the 
front of the line for help.
  I thank Congresswoman Brownley for her hard work on drafting this 
bill, and I am proud to support it today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Brownley), my good friend, the chairwoman of the 
Subcommittee on Health, and also the author of this important piece of 
legislation.
  Ms. BROWNLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the 
Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Act.
  On any given day, there are more than 550,000 people experiencing 
homelessness in our country. An estimated 40,000 of them are veterans. 
This is categorically unacceptable.
  Although the Department of Housing and Urban Development and VA have 
made progress toward eliminating veterans' homelessness, there is still 
more that must be done to ensure that every veteran has a home.
  We know it is 10 times cheaper to provide resources to prevent 
homelessness in the first place than it is to house someone once they 
have become homeless.
  We also know that so many of our veterans suffer from PTSD related to 
combat or, far too often, military sexual trauma. These traumatic 
experiences put veterans at increased risk of mental health conditions, 
substance use disorders, and homelessness.

[[Page H2365]]

  We owe it to our veterans to spare no effort in providing the 
security and assistance they need to transition to civilian life. One 
way to help our veterans experiencing homelessness is to help them gain 
new employment skills and get stable jobs.
  The Department of Labor's homeless veterans reintegration program 
focuses on securing employment opportunities for homeless veterans. The 
program provides grants to State and local agencies and nonprofit 
organizations that teach veterans occupational skills, provide on-the-
job training, help them attain apprenticeships, and help with job 
searches and placement.
  Grantees also collaborate with public and private partners at all 
levels--Federal, State, and local--to provide supportive services and 
access to housing.
  The program has been extremely successful, helping place thousands of 
homeless veterans in competitive employment every year.
  Over the last several years, the Department of Labor has identified 
certain homeless veteran populations that are in particular need of 
reintegration services, including female veterans and veterans with 
families. My bill would direct the Department of Labor to prioritize 
homeless veterans with dependent children participating in its 
reintegration program.
  This subpopulation of homeless veterans is particularly vulnerable, 
and it is so important to ensure they have access to the wraparound 
services necessary to support a parent with children.
  Research shows that families experiencing homelessness often have to 
contend with intimate partner violence, child separation, and other 
extremely challenging issues. That is why my bill would also require 
the Department of Labor to study access to shelter, safety, and other 
relevant services for homeless veterans with dependent children. This 
information will help us understand the problem and identify 
opportunities to resolve issues in providing services to this 
vulnerable population.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 2 
minutes.
  Ms. BROWNLEY. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will also go a long way 
toward supporting veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country 
and are now struggling to adjust to civilian life and to support 
families.
  This bill has received broad bipartisan support in the past, and I 
ask that my colleagues, as my colleagues have on the committee, join me 
in getting it across the finish line. We owe our veterans nothing less.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 240 as we did unanimously in committee. I suspect that if 
this bill were brought to a vote before the entire body, it would pass 
with near-unanimous support.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 240.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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