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Extension of Remarks THE DISABLED VETERANS’ SPECIAL HOUSING H.R. 3619 Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing the Disabled Veterans’ Special Housing Improvements Act of 1998. This legislation will provide our most severely disabled veterans with a much needed increase in the amount of the one-time grant they may receive in order to obtain or adapt special housing to meet their unique needs. Only a small number of service-connected veterans are so disabled that they qualify to receive a grant to obtain suitable housing. Most are required to use a wheelchair for mobility. During the past ten years, the purchasing power of this grant has been allowed to erode by almost one-third.The Disabled Veterans’ Special Housing Improvements Act of 1998 was prompted by a call to my office from a severely disabled veteran. This veteran reported that while he had been approved for a one-time grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs to modify his home to meet the requirements of his service-connected disabilities, the cost of the needed adaptations far exceeded the amount of the grant. There was a simple reason for this fact. The grant amount for veterans which had been regularly increased between 1969 and 1988 has been frozen since 1988. The grant available under this program amount is limited to 50% of the actual cost of the modifications or purchase. Nonetheless, almost 95% of the veterans who qualify for this benefit receive the maximum grant. The legislation I am introducing today makes up for years of neglect. It will restore the purchasing power of the grant to reflect the current cost of housing. In order to avoid repeating the neglect of the past ten years, the legislation will also index the grant to the cost of new construction in future years. In addition, this legislation has been recommended by the Independent Budget and the many veterans service organizations who participate in preparing that document. Our most severely disabled veterans have earned the right to live in a safe, secure home, specially adapted to meet their needs. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. |