Congress is considering a bill to help the children of homeless veterans. Reno Public Radio’s Anh Gray reports Senator Dean Heller of Nevada is pushing to get this legislation passed.
Currently, shelters in Nevada don’t get federal reimbursements to help children of homeless veterans from a specific Veterans Affairs program called the Veterans Affairs Grant and Per Diem program. If the bill passes, it would ensure children of homeless veterans are eligible for services.
Senator Dean Heller is a co-sponsor of the bill. Recently, he spoke at the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and said local nonprofits can support homeless veterans by caring for their family members as well.
“We have several organizations in our communities back in Nevada that provide services to help veterans put a roof over their head and some stability back in their lives,” Heller said.
A census of homeless people conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development last year, found there were more than 1,300 homeless veterans in Nevada and more than half were unsheltered.
