Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Act. On any given day, there are more than 550,000 people experiencing homelessness in our country.…
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Act.
On any given day, there are more than 550,000 people experiencing homelessness in our country. An estimated 40,000 of them are veterans. This is categorically unacceptable.
Although the Department of Housing and Urban Development and VA have made progress toward eliminating veterans' homelessness, there is still more that must be done to ensure that every veteran has a home.
We know it is 10 times cheaper to provide resources to prevent homelessness in the first place than it is to house someone once they have become homeless.
We also know that so many of our veterans suffer from PTSD related to combat or, far too often, military sexual trauma. These traumatic experiences put veterans at increased risk of mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and homelessness.
We owe it to our veterans to spare no effort in providing the security and assistance they need to transition to civilian life. One way to help our veterans experiencing homelessness is to help them gain new employment skills and get stable jobs.
The Department of Labor's homeless veterans reintegration program focuses on securing employment opportunities for homeless veterans. The program provides grants to State and local agencies and nonprofit organizations that teach veterans occupational skills, provide on-the- job training, help them attain apprenticeships, and help with job searches and placement.
Grantees also collaborate with public and private partners at all levels--Federal, State, and local--to provide supportive services and access to housing.
The program has been extremely successful, helping place thousands of homeless veterans in competitive employment every year.
Over the last several years, the Department of Labor has identified certain homeless veteran populations that are in particular need of reintegration services, including female veterans and veterans with families. My bill would direct the Department of Labor to prioritize homeless veterans with dependent children participating in its reintegration program.
This subpopulation of homeless veterans is particularly vulnerable, and it is so important to ensure they have access to the wraparound services necessary to support a parent with children.
Research shows that families experiencing homelessness often have to contend with intimate partner violence, child separation, and other extremely challenging issues. That is why my bill would also require the Department of Labor to study access to shelter, safety, and other relevant services for homeless veterans with dependent children. This information will help us understand the problem and identify opportunities to resolve issues in providing services to this vulnerable population.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation will also go a long way toward supporting veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country and are now struggling to adjust to civilian life and to support families.
This bill has received broad bipartisan support in the past, and I ask that my colleagues, as my colleagues have on the committee, join me in getting it across the finish line. We owe our veterans nothing less.
