Political Quotes

“Madam President, I am pleased to join Senator Collins and Senators Van Hollen, Cortez Masto, and Klobuchar in introducing legislation that would permanently reauthorize the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Council or USICH. The Council was established during the Reagan administration as part of the landmark McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. Over the last three and a half decades, it has brought Agencies from across the Federal Government together to coordinate efforts to address homelessness. In 2009, the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing, HEARTH, Act, which I authored along with Senator Collins, expanded the Council's role, allowing it to work with public, nonprofit and private stakeholders to develop a national strategic plan to end homelessness. With a small budget and a small staff, the Council has helped guide Federal, State, and local stakeholders in deploying their resources in a smart, effective and coordinated fashion. The results have been evident. In the decade after USICH published its first plan, overall homelessness declined 9 percent. Family and veterans homelessness declined significantly, as well, with the total numbers dropping nearly 30 percent and 50 percent, respectively. In fact, the Council has been able to help 83 communities and three States effectively end veteran homelessness.…”