Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act of 2015.

This legislation would ensure continued access to homeless services for some of our country's most vulnerable veterans who are currently at risk of losing these critical services.

The administration set the difficult but commendable goal of eliminating veteran homelessness. Through tremendous efforts at every level of government, and with the help of community groups, non-profits and the private sector, we have made major progress toward achieving that goal.

But we know we have a lot of work to do. Veterans are at greater risk of becoming homeless than non-veterans and on any given night as many as 50,000 veterans are homeless across the United States.

This is unacceptable.

Our veterans made great sacrifices while serving our country and our commitment to them is especially important. This commitment includes providing benefits, medical care, support, and assistance to prevent homelessness.

Two of our greatest tools are the Department of Veterans Affairs' Grant and Per Diem program and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program through partnerships with homeless service providers around the country.

These important and successful programs assist very low-income veterans and their families who either live in permanent housing or are transitioning from homelessness. The programs help our veterans with rent, utilities, moving costs, outreach, case management, and obtaining benefits.

But last year, after a legal review of its policies, VA was forced to prepare for a change that would have cut off services to veterans who did not meet certain length of service or discharge requirements, changing policies that homeless service providers had followed for decades.

That would be a heartless, bureaucratic move that could have put thousands of veterans on the streets--practically overnight. According to some of our leading veterans and homeless groups--including The American Legion, the National Alliance to End Homelessness the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans--had the policy been enacted, VA would have had to stop serving about 15 percent of the homeless veteran population, and in certain urban areas up to 30 percent of homeless veterans would have been turned away.

The veterans community alerted me to this possible change--and while I am proud that we prevented these changes in the short-term--it is very concerning that a legal opinion could be issued at any time to undo all of that.

There is good reason to reverse this policy for good. A report from VA's Inspector General, issued just last week, shows how VA's unclear or outdated guidance hurts veterans, and how VA's proposed policy changes work against efforts to help homeless veterans.

As a senior member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and the daughter of a World War II veteran, I'm proud that the bill I have introduced today would permanently protect homeless veterans' access to housing and services.

This bill makes it clear that our country takes care of those who have served, and we don't allow bureaucracy to dictate who gets a roof over their head and who doesn't.

Many veterans struggle with mental illness, substance abuse, or simply finding a steady job--all factors that can lead to homelessness.

And veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are increasingly becoming homeless--numbers that will continue to increase in the coming years unless help is available for them.

The idea that any of these veterans returning from service could become homeless because of these policies is unacceptable.

If we ever hope to end veteran homelessness we must do everything we can to reach this goal, and I want to make sure that VA's policies are moving us in that direction.

I don't just believe that the United States can do better; I believe we must do better for those who've sacrificed so much for our country.

Finally I would like to thank Senator Hirono for cosponsoring this bill and being a champion of the men and women who have served our country.

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