Bush Threatening To Veto Homeless Veterans Bill

WASHINGTON — The House approved a homeless veterans housing bill overwhelmingly Wednesday, even though White House advisers warned they'd urge President Bush to veto it.

The bill sponsored by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, authorizes spending $200 million on housing and services for veterans, requires 20,000 rental vouchers a year for low-income housing for veterans and authorizes $1 million for grants to nonprofit groups to provide housing and services for veterans.

The bill, which passed 412-9, also creates a job in the Department of Housing and Urban Development for someone to coordinate with Veterans Affairs on homelessness and make regular reports to Congress on the issue.

The Senate version of the bill is sponsored by Democrat Barack Obama, the Illinois lawmaker who is the party's presumptive presidential nominee.

Bush's advisers said in a statement they oppose a wage provision in the bill that requires builders of veterans housing to pay employees prevailing wage. The advisers said that provision is the bill's major problem. Bush has long opposed any changes to the law that would either increase or decrease the number of employers subject to the prevailing wage requirements in the Davis-Bacon Act, the advisers said.

"For this reason, if the bill were presented to the president in its current form, his senior advisers would recommend he veto the bill," the White House said, adding that the bill also duplicates existing programs.

But Green said several bills have been passed by Congress with similar wage provisions. Among them is the farm bill which was vetoed by Bush, but Congress overrode the veto. Green asked whether Bush wants to "draw the line in the dirt when it comes to veterans."

Veterans Affairs this year reported the number of homeless veterans has dropped to about 154,000. But Green said more are living in poverty than should. About 57 percent of homeless veterans are African-American or Latino, he said.

The bill, he said, is "our opportunity to do something for those who have made it possible for us to live in the richest country in the world."

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation would cost about $1.8 billion in the period from 2009-2013.

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Rep. Al Green's bill is H.R. 3329.

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To look up legislation: http://thomas.loc.gov

Comments

[AdobePhsyko]

How about instead of buying a yellow ribbon or a "Support the Troops" bumper sticker we each give 5 bucks to a homeless vet

[southafrica4obama]

Do it for Mccain. Veto it.

[Truthfighter1]

Now to me this is a little more important than the whole FISA uproar. This issue is something all Americans should really get mad about.

[Redrover666]

Or seek the truth.

[nirek]

dear mr bush, you are a disgrace to America , you send people into harms way, but do not want to help those same people who served their country and were hurt doing it at your orders. How can you live with the knowledge that over 4100 brave Americans have died and you won't help the wounded vets recover? RESIGN NOW and take cheney with you.

[Redrover666]

I am also a veteran, combat disabled at 100%. The VA has been outstanding to me. Since I am retired, I have tricare at only $39 a month which I can easily afford and therefore am entitled to private practice medical care.
Frankly, I receive better care at the VA than most civilians receive in the private sector.
Unfortunately the media in an effort to pile on, in this unfortunate war has attacked the VA in an effort to further smear the administration and insist our comrades are being abused. Granted, the VA has issues but helping homeless vets isn't one of them.

[TexasDem0]

This is how Republicans support the troops, with empty slogans, broken promises, plastic magnets made in China, and criminal neglect.

[amazinggrace]

Gives our "Support our Troops" an entirely new meaning. Translation. as long as it does not involve time or money, we support our troops with bumper stickers, yellow ribbons and lip service and they want more?

Sometimes I wonder about this country and where we are headed...............................

[lysistrata]

For Bush patriotism stops where the pocket book begins.

[MrRex]

The national nightmare continues.........

[wyldthings]

I am a combat wounded Viet-Nam vet. I live in San Diego where the weather is pretty nice year round. I see the homeless on the streets asking for donations. I feel great compassion for them, but I will tell you that if you are truly a Viet-Nam veteran there is many ways to get help. I read a study from Houston a couple years ago that was researched by veterans advocates that concluded that the majority of these people were not veterans just drug abusers, alcoholics and mental challenged people. Now I know they need help also but most are not veterans of war!

[LintLass]

What. A. *ahem.*

[IowaKid]

Now let me see he will veto it before taking credit for it? Hmmmmmmm sounds like his buddy McSame.

[Badwater]

To solve the homeless veterans problem, just put up a tent city on the Bush Brush Ranch. It won't affect the brush crop that much.

[shengirl]

$200 million is chump change to this administration. As usual and with nearly everything he has done, he aims to protect his business buddies, the same way they opposed paying prevailing wages to the workers in the Katrina-devastated areas when time came to rebuild. He is of, by and for the rich.

[OlderWoman]

Dubya says, "Support our troops, I won't, but you go ahead and support our troops".