Political Quotes

“Mr. President, along with Senator Collins, I am introducing legislation that would eliminate the sunset date for U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness--the Council--so that this independent agency can build upon its success in helping to prevent and end homelessness nationally. The Council was established under the Reagan administration as part of the landmark McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. Since that time, it has worked across the Federal Government and private sector to coordinate homeless assistance nationally. In 2009, the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing, or HEARTH Act, which I authored and introduced along with Senator Collins and others, expanded the Council's role to work with public, nonprofit, and private stakeholders to develop a national strategic plan to end homelessness. On June 22, 2010, the Council unveiled this plan, called Opening Doors, which has guided its work to develop and expand on effective strategies across the country to prevent and end homelessness. Since Opening Doors was unveiled, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, reports that overall homelessness has decreased by 14 percent, chronic homelessness by 27 percent, and family homelessness by 23 percent. In addition, we have seen veterans' homelessness drop by 47 percent.…”