NEWS FROM….

CONGRESSMAN LANE EVANS

RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER

COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS

    U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Washington, DC - Lane Evans of Illinois, Democratic Leader of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, announced today he will soon introduce comprehensive homeless veterans legislation. The measure will be named the "Heather French Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2000" in honor of Miss America 2000, Heather French.

"Today in America there are estimated to be 250,000 to 450,000 homeless veterans. Even one would is too many," Evans said.

"The challenge is to eliminate homelessness among veterans before the end of a decade," comments Evans. "We must honor the service of our women and men who have served in uniform," he said, "by providing the resources and opportunities they need to regain their future and again become productive citizens."

He noted that a formerly homeless veteran who becomes a computer programmer earning $40,000 a year to start is a contributing member of society who will repay, many times over, the assistance he or she received to break free of homelessness. "Clearly, he remarked, it is in the national economic interest to once again use the skills and values learned in military service and to productively use new skills to benefit the individual, the community and the nation."

"It will cost less to succeed than to keep failing," Evans said. "What are the costs of not eliminating homelessness among veterans? What are the costs of failing to provide the resources and opportunities our homeless veterans need to become productive citizens? How many lives will be needlessly lost?"

The bill will cover a broad range of both innovative and proven ideas, from expanding successful grant programs to extending the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide dental care, from creating individual grants to ward off homelessness for veterans at risk to authorizing existing programs to perform new and cooperative functions.

"Homeless veterans want to be able to regain personal pride by taking personal responsibility to remove the barriers that have prevented their transition to productive citizenship,’ commented French. " I applaud this legislation that focuses on a comprehensive package of proposals that will lead to ending homelessness among our nation’s veterans so they can once again be proud citizens."

The Veterans Organizations Homeless Council (VOHC), representing the major veterans organizations in America, stated today that it "strongly supports the comprehensive recommendations advanced by Congressman Lane Evans, Illinois, in a legislative proposal that will offer a strategic program to break the vicious cycle of veterans homelessness in cities and towns across this Nation." The veterans saluted Evans for recognizing Heather French, commenting he "has truly selected the right person to recognize by naming this comprehensive homeless veterans congressional legislative initiative in her honor." The VOHC represents The American Legion, AMVETS, the Blinded Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Non-Commissioned Officers Association, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Vietnam Veterans of America on homeless veterans issues.

The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) also endorsed the bill. NCHV Executive Director Linda Boone said "this bill will become the platform to address homeless veterans’ issues in the 107^th Congress and we look forward to a continued active relationship between Ms. French and Mr. Evans towards the goal of ending homelessness among our nation’s veterans."

The VA has offered specialized homeless veterans treatment programs since 1987. Evans notes these programs have demonstrated their effectiveness. "The problem is not ineffective programs," he says. "The problem is too few programs and too many homeless veterans. If our goal is not to reduce homelessness, but to end homelessness among veterans, we must do more. To succeed we must expand existing programs and create new programs."

For Evans, this is not a question of economics. "Morally, there is no other choice we can make," he said. "We must make use of the full arsenal of programs and tools to help homeless veterans regain their self-worth, their dignity, their pride and their self-sufficiency. We can end homelessness among veterans if we have the will to do so. As the richest nation on earth, we can afford to do no less."

"The homeless veterans of our nation have no better friend, no better advocate than Miss America 2000, Heather French," Evans said. "During the past year she has given generously of her time, talent, energy and self to challenge this nation to meet the unmet needs of our homeless veterans. It is an honor for me to recognize Heather French for what she has done and what she means to our homeless veterans and our nation. The legislation I will introduce to recognize and honor her represents a solemn commitment."