Bipartisan Legislation Aims to Expand Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program to All 50 States

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) along with U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand the Department of Labor (DOL) Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) to all 50 states and U.S. territories. The HVRP program offers customized employment and training services to homeless or at-risk-of-homelessness veterans to address their specific barriers to employment.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Reaching Every Homeless Veteran Act of 2021 aims to expand the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) to all 50 states and U.S. territories, increasing access to employment and training services for homeless or at-risk-of-homelessness veterans.
  • The legislation would mandate the Department of Labor (DOL) to ensure that HVRP grants are awarded in every state and U.S. territory, maintaining the same high-quality application criteria standards.
  • In instances where a state or territory is without eligible applicants, the DOL would be mandated to coordinate an outreach and education program in coordination with the state Director of Veterans' Employment and Training to increase awareness around HVRP and the benefits of the program.
  • The legislation would also implement mandated reporting requirements for DOL on the HVRP application and selection process, providing Congress with the data necessary to discern future statutory or funding changes.
  • The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) applauded this bipartisan effort to improve the employment services offered to homeless veterans and help them reach their full potential in the work force.
  • The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

Statistics:

  • Currently, not all states have organizations that are receiving HVRP grants for the FY2021 cycle, including Kansas, Alaska, Nebraska, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia.
  • The legislation aims to expand grant funding to underserved areas of the country, giving more veterans access to employment services and other resources to combat homelessness.

Sources:

  • United States Senator for Kansas -- Jerry Moran
  • U.S. Senator for West Virginia -- Joe Manchin
  • National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV)
  • Contify.com