Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2019
Floor Speech
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Mr. LEVIN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this legislation, which will, among other things, help us address the epidemic of veteran homelessness. It is simply unacceptable that many of the men and women who have served this great country are now living on our streets.
I am grateful to my friend, Ranking Member Gus Bilirakis from Florida. We have now had two field hearings in his district, the 12th Congressional District of Florida, and my district, the 49th Congressional District of California. We are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to address this issue in our communities and in all communities around the country.
We owe it to those who have served and their families to ensure that they have everything they need to get back on their feet, including case management; assistance in obtaining VA benefits; and temporary financial assistance with rent, utilities, or childcare expenses.
I was proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to help address homelessness, specifically among women veterans, by reauthorizing funding for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families grant program and requiring that at least $20 million goes to organizations that have a focus on helping women veterans and their families.
What we are seeing in our subcommittee is that the rate of veterans' homelessness is roughly steady, but alarmingly, women veterans' homelessness is increasing. We have to do something about it.
The legislation before us today will provide the reauthorization that we need before the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
I have said it before, and I will say it again: Even one homeless veteran is one too many. We have a moral obligation to make robust Federal investments in programs to help get veterans off the streets.
By passing this legislation, we can make those investments, and we can do more than just pay lip service to our veterans. We can give them the support and resources they have earned and deserve.
I give credit to my friends, Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Roe. They are doing a fantastic job helping our veterans and trying to give back in any way we can to those who have served our country, those who have given so much. It is my great honor to serve with them on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Mr. DAVID P. ROE of Tennessee.
I have had the privilege of serving with Congressman Bost since he has been on the committee. He is a Marine Corps veteran, 1979 to 1982. He served in the last Congress as chairman of the DAMA, Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, and he is also on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
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