Congresswomen Claudia Tenney and Nikema Williams Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Veterans Homelessness

Press Release

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) joined with Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) to introduce H.R. 5606, the Return Home to Housing Act. This bipartisan bill works to combat the homelessness epidemic facing America's veterans. Joining Tenney and Williams in introducing the legislation are Reps. Sara Jacobs (CA-53) and Andrew R. Garbarino (NY-02).

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Grant and Per Diem Program funds community agencies that provide services, including transitional housing, to homeless veterans. The bill will raise the maximum allowable rate that the VA can reimburse to service providers for supplying transitional housing to veterans. The Return Home to Housing Act will help housing providers supply more housing to homeless veterans in need by ensuring they are adequately reimbursed for their costs.

"Veterans who served their country should never have to contend with homelessness," said Congresswoman Tenney. "Through greater awareness, support, and targeted investments, we can end this scourge. I'm honored to partner with Congresswoman Williams on a bipartisan bill to tackle this issue by ensuring organizations dedicated to this fight have the necessary resources to help homeless veterans. I will always back our heroes, who have served and sacrificed so much on our behalf."

"After everything the brave women and men who served our country have done, we owe it to them to make sure they have a roof over their head," said Congresswoman Williams. "Unfortunately, the Fifth Congressional District has some of the worst examples of housing injustice. But I won't stop working to increase access to dignified housing for everyone, especially those who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I want to thank my cosponsors on both sides of the aisle for their support of ending housing injustice for veterans."

"I am honored to partner with Congresswoman Williams on the Return Home to Housing Act," said Congresswoman Jacobs. "As the representative of a proud military and veteran community in San Diego, helping veterans afford housing is an important priority for me. In San Diego, my constituents face high housing costs, and baseline assistance and reimbursement levels are inadequate -- and because of this too many veterans and families have been left behind. This bipartisan legislation raises housing assistance reimbursement rates for veterans and will help more veterans and their families transition to housing."

"U.S. service members volunteer to enter the line of fire in order to secure our freedoms and the very least we can do is ensure they are taken care of when they return home," said Congressman Garbarino. "This bill will expand access to housing for veterans making what can be a difficult transition to civilian life. I am proud to co-lead this bill with Congresswoman Williams so that we can provide for those who have protected us."