WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressmen Brian Mast (FL-18) and Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) today announced the introduction of the Legal Services for Homeless Veterans Act. The bipartisan legislation directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide grants to organizations that provide legal services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homelessness.
“The men and women who dedicate their lives to service give everything they have for our country, but the unfortunate reality is that too many veterans struggle returning home from combat and find themselves without a home,” Rep. Mast said. “While we’ll never be able to fully repay them for their service, expanding access to legal services for these veterans is something we can and should do right now to help.”
“The Legal Services for Homeless Veterans Act provides veterans with access to legal services to resolve certain issues that can lead to homelessness. While serving as a local prosecutor and working as a board member for the Veterans Transition Center of Monterey County, I encountered many veterans who had certain legal issues that brought them to the brink or pushed them into homelessness,” Rep. Panetta said. “This legislation provides those veterans, and supportive and surrounding organizations, the resources necessary to help our veterans resolve these legal issues and get back on their feet so that they can get back to being an integral part of our community and country.”
Original cosigners of the bill include U.S. Congressmen Gil Cisneros (CA-39), Greg Steube (FL-17), Don Bacon (NE-02) and Mike Waltz (FL-06).
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