[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13175]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  WEST LOS ANGELES LEASING ACT OF 2016

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                             HON. TED LIEU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 20, 2016

  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 5936 the West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016, which would 
authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to enter into leases in 
order to construct permanent supportive housing on the West Los Angeles 
VA Medical Center campus. As a member of the Air Force Reserve, I 
understand the sacrifice our veterans make in service to our country 
and I'm committed helping them get the services they need.
  There is a critical need for long-term supportive housing on the West 
Los Angeles Campus, and enhanced use leases would allow the Department 
to work with community and state organizations toward the goal of 
ending veteran homelessness in Los Angeles. If enacted, this 
legislation will enable the VA to construct 1,200 units of housing for 
homeless veterans and offer new robust services on the campus such as 
vocational training, recreation and spiritual support. The legislation 
also ensures that all leases on the campus principally benefit Veterans 
and strengthen the partnership between the VA and leaseholders. The 
bill allows the VA to renew any lease entered pursuant to these 
provisions after giving Congress 45 days' notice of the intent to 
renew.
  I want to acknowledge the leadership of VA Secretary Bob McDonald and 
the tireless work of his team this past year in developing the Master 
Plan. I also want to thank Senator Dianne Feinstein for her leadership 
in authoring companion legislation in the U.S. Senate, and House 
Veterans Affairs' Committee Chairman Jeff Miller and Acting Ranking 
Member Mark Takano for helping to guide this legislation to passage in 
the House. I am confident Senator Feinstein will now take this 
legislation across the finish line in the Senate.
  And I especially want to recognize the contributions of vital local 
stakeholders, including veterans, veterans service organizations, the 
plaintiff partners, providers, and the community for their 
collaborative effort and unprecedented support this past year. Without 
this cooperation, the Master Plan and progress on this legislation 
would not have been possible. Today's actions help us move forward on 
our unwavering mission to honor the debt we owe our nation's veterans.

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