Heck Applauds Passage of Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act

Press Release

Congressman Joe Heck (NV-03) today applauded passage of the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act (H.R. 1742), bipartisan legislation he introduced earlier this year that will help reduce veteran homelessness by reforming how the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides housing assistance for disabled veterans.

The Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act ends HUD's flawed policy of counting the aid and attendance benefit as regular income. By counting the aid and attendance benefit intended for medical care as income, HUD is unfairly reducing the housing assistance available to our low income disabled veterans. This issue was first brought to Congressman Heck's attention during a 2011 meeting of his Veterans Advisory Panel. The panel brings local veterans together to discuss the issues facing southern Nevada's veteran community.

"The last thing our veterans should have to worry about is whether they'll have a roof over their head," Rep. Heck said. "Reversing the flawed HUD policy ensures vets can afford to stay in their homes and continue to receive the aid and attendance benefit that is so crucial to their daily lives."

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