“Our veterans have made incredible sacrifices for our country, and we must do everything we can to provide these heroes with housing & job opps..."

Before our homeless vets get too excited about hearing the news on the House approval of the "Homes For Heroes" legislation that would provide a much needed and widely welcomed shot in the arm for resources currently available to veterans, better take a deep breath and prepare to spend a few more months under the underpass. the "President" is almost certainly going to veto the bill simply because "prevailing wage requirements (are) included in the bill’s language." Unbelievable. And they talk about Democrats not supporting the troops, yet this guy puts em in harm's way, then yanks the rug out from under them when they return home... It won't be soon enough to see this administration come to an end....

Green’s ‘Homes for Heroes’ Legislation Wins House Approval

by John Pape

1 day 23 hrs ago

Congressman Al Green’s “Homes for Heroes Act” passed the House of Representatives yesterday, but faces a likely presidential veto if it makes it through the Senate.

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The U.S. House of Representatives has passed HR 3329, the “Homes for Heroes Act” championed by Rep. Al Green (D-Houston), but the bill is facing a presidential veto if it makes it through the Senate.

The bill, which is designed to provide shelter for homeless veterans and their families as well as lending assistance to help low-income veteran families from falling into homelessness, won House approval yesterday. Green, working with Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael Michaud (D-Maine), introduced the legislation last August. Despite the House passage, the White House immediately signaled that the legislation would be vetoed if it lands on the president’s desk because of prevailing wage requirements included in the bill’s language. Green said the bill’s focus on helping homeless veterans was “the least a grateful nation can do,” and urged President Bush to reconsider his veto threat. He also praised Illinois senator and presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama for introducing the senate version of the legislation. “Today, the House took an important step in honoring our military men and women by passing this critical legislation that will help eliminate homelessness and provide affordable housing opportunities for our nation’s heroes. This is the least a grateful nation can do,” Green said. “As the House sponsor of the Homes for Heroes Act, I especially thank Sen. Barack Obama for championing this bill in the Senate and commend my colleagues in the House for voting to provide those who have sacrificed for our country with the assistance they deserve. I urge the President to reconsider his threat to veto a bill that will ensure a brighter future for all of our veterans.” In a statement following House passage of the bill, Obama called on his senate colleagues to follow the House’s lead and approve the measure. “Our veterans have made incredible sacrifices for our country, and we must do everything we can to provide these heroes with housing and job opportunities when they return home," Obama said. "Unfortunately, far too many of these brave men and women are living on the streets, and that is unacceptable. I am proud to support this legislation, which will go a long way in meeting our commitment to our veterans. I commend Cong. Al Green for his leadership in moving this widely-supported legislation through the House. I urge my Senate colleagues to pass this bill as soon as possible, and I call on the President to sign it into law.” According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly 200,000 veterans currently live on the streets, in shelters or in community-based organizations. Nearly 400,000 veterans may experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year, according to the VA. Of those, 47 percent are Vietnam veterans, half have mental illness and two-thirds suffer from alcohol or other substance abuse problems. The VA said that about 56 percent of all homeless veterans are African-American or Latino Provisions contained in the Homes for Heroes Act would: • Establish a $200 million assistance program for supportive housing and services for low-income veterans; • Expand the Department of Housing and Urban Development - Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program, authorizing 20,000 vouchers annually and making the program permanent; • Authorize $1 million in HUD grants to assist housing and service providers with the execution of their housing projects for veterans assisted by HUD, fulfilling the planning and application process and assisting veterans in obtaining permanent housing or homeless assistance; • Establish the position of Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs within HUD to coordinate services to homeless veterans and serve as a liaison to the Department of Veterans Affairs, state and local officials, and nonprofit service organizations; and • Require HUD to submit a comprehensive annual report to Congress on the housing needs of homeless veterans and the steps HUD has taken under the programs provided for in the bill