[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19895]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     COMMEMORATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF McKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS 
                             ASSISTANCE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RAUL M. GRIJALVA

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 19, 2007

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, this is a very aupicious time for 
affordable housing advocates. For the first time in far too long, we 
have significant progress on this critical issue with this new majority 
in this people's House. Chairman Frank and Chairwoman Waters have been 
true leaders on this issue, and I would like to recognize their 
efforts.
  Today, we also gather to recall a past leader, who 20 years ago 
brought about a major increment of progress. I speak, of course, of 
Stewart B. McKinney and Bruce Vento, and the law that bears their name.
  There are really very few, extremely few, cases of an elected 
official committing themselves to accompaniment of those in need the 
way Congressman McKinney did. Indeed, the late Congressman lost his 
life as a result of his commitment. And while we commemorate his work 
and recall the circumstances of his passing, we should not lose sight 
of the many thousands who died in a similar way, and those who are 
still on the streets today, and at risk.
  Many Americans have passed out of this world in lonely alleys, on top 
of grates, isolated from friends and family, and then been buried in 
unmarked plots. Indeed, as noted in the resolution commemorating 
McKinney-Vento, the condition of homelessness on average causes the 
loss of 30 years in life expectancy.
  The McKinney-Vento programs have been critical in addressing this 
great American tragedy, and it is worth reflecting on this progress and 
recognizing this achievement of dedicated leadership. Across the board, 
McKinney-Vento has addressed the core issue of housing and deeply 
intertwined issues of health care access, education, job training, and 
reaching out to homeless youth and getting them back in school, this 
law has made a difference.
  This is an important precedent to keep in mind as we move forward 
with a new agenda. After all, this was an emergency response, and while 
necessary and just, it was not claimed that this would put an end to 
homelessness, and certainly the Federal response to homelessness should 
not be limited to these programs.
  So I look forward to working with advocates like you in this session 
and continually as we strive to address this problem and better this 
society. What we are doing, really, is increasing the decency of this 
country, our level of morality, our concern for our fellow man. When we 
conquer homelessness, which is fundamentally a problem of social 
isolation and abandonment, we are truly rebuilding the moral foundation 
of this great Nation.

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