Hearing of the House Financial Services Committee - Waters Statement at Long Requested Hearing on the State of Homelessness

Hearing

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. I am very pleased that we are having this hearing after Democrats have called on this Committee to turn its attention to homelessness for more than five years. This will be the first hearing that this Committee has held focused on homelessness during Chairman Hensarling's tenure, and I certainly hope it will not be the last.

In fact, I would like to remind the Chairman of my request to hold a field hearing in Los Angeles to hear from local stakeholders about the recent increases in homelessness in that area. Los Angeles is ground zero for homelessness and that's why I'm pleased that Peter Lynn is here today to tell us about the unique experience of Los Angeles and the unique challenges and solutions that they are facing in fighting this problem.

Today, there are over half a million people experiencing homelessness here in the richest country in the world, over one-fifth of whom are children. These are veterans who we failed to support when they returned home after serving our country; these are women fleeing domestic violence; these are people who have left prison after serving their debt to society; and these are people who have simply fallen on hard times.

Mr. Chairman, we know exactly how to end a person's homelessness--you provide him or her with a home. That is why I introduced H.R. 2076, the Ending Homelessness Act, which provides a surge of new resources and a comprehensive plan to tackle this solvable problem. The end of homelessness in this country is within our reach if we can muster the political courage to provide the necessary resources.

Thank you, and I yield back.

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