Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced the Housing for Women Veterans Act, a bipartisan bill to help end homelessness among women veterans and their families. The bill would reauthorize funding for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant program at $400 million for FY2020-FY2022, and require that at least $20 million goes to organizations that have a focus on helping women veterans and their families.
“No veteran should be homeless, and we must take every action possible to ensure we care for those who stepped up to serve our country. This legislation will help address the needs of our women veterans and their families while also helping us identify areas we can improve services focused on helping homeless veterans,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “I’m proud to join Representative Levin to introduce this bipartisan measure because taking care of our veterans should never be a partisan issue.”
“Women servicemembers and their families have sacrificed for our country, and we must do everything we can to prevent them from falling into homelessness when they return to civilian life,” said Rep. Levin. “This bipartisan bill is a critical step that will help end homelessness among our nation’s heroes and prioritize much-needed funding for women veterans and their families. As Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, I look forward to holding hearings on this bipartisan legislation soon.”
The Housing for Women Veterans Act would:
- Reauthorize funding for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant program at $400 million for FY2020-FY2022;
- Require that at least $20 million goes to organizations that have a focus on helping women veterans and their families;
- Require the VA to analyze shortfalls in its homelessness programs with respect to serving women and submit a report to Congress within 9 months of enactment.
The Housing for Women Veterans Act is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Veterans (AMVETS). The legislation is also included in a bipartisan Senate bill, the Deborah Sampson Act.