Sheila Jackson Lee: “This is a very conspicuous and daily occurrence that happens where our veterans are able to go to a supportive team that…”

“This is a very conspicuous and daily occurrence that happens where our veterans are able to go to a supportive team that understands their service, appreciates their plight, and works to help them so that they do not go into the cycle of homelessness. I think it is particularly important when we think about veterans and their families. They are many times single parents, many times disabled or with family concerns, mental health needs, and these services that are provided include healthcare, daily living, legal services, fiduciary and payee services, personal financial planning, childcare, transportation, and housing counseling. Veterans like the Air Force veteran who, hoping to utilize the skills he learned in the service, instead bounced from job to job after being discharged, found himself sleeping at night on the cold cement under a bridge in Chicago. But, of course, he was able to get the support from our veterans support services. This is, again, a valuable statement made by this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to continue to support the services given by this particular program. Again, I hope that we will see the end of homelessness among our veterans and the increase in support services to help them in their pathway to success. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.”