Kathryn Monet, CEO of the National Coalition for Nonprofit Homeless Veterans, said Cawthorn’s “zero dollar” claim is “absolutely bogus.” Tom Porter, executive vice president for government affairs for the organization for the defense of American veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan, said that was “just not true”. Porter added that the US bailout contains “a huge amount of money for veterans” and that it is important that officials “be specific” about government spending since veterans are listening.
Cawthorn’s office said he couldn’t officially speak to the tweet because it came from the congressman’s campaign Twitter account, not his official congressional account. But a source close to Cawthorn who spoke on condition of anonymity said the tweet was in fact an assertion that zero dollars from that particular ICE contract to house migrants was going to homeless veterans – not, in d. in other words, a claim that the government is spending zero dollars on the homeless veterans period.
But Cawthorn didn’t say that at all. If he had meant that zero dollars an immigration contract unrelated to veteran homelessness goes to veteran homelessness, he could have said so explicitly – although that would have made the tweet quite bizarre. The words Cawthorn actually tweeted made it sound like he was talking about the government’s overall spending on homeless veterans.
Spending in billions
The federal government’s annual homelessness assessment found that 37,252 veterans were homeless on a single night in January 2020. This is a drop of almost 50% from the 2009 figure, but a slight increase from the 2019 figure.
The VA’s base budget for fiscal 2021 allocates approximately $ 1.9 billion for veterans homelessness. (Here are some details on what the VA does for homeless veterans.) The VA said in its fiscal year 2021 budget plan that it intends to spend an additional $ 313 million on homeless veterans programs. suicide prevention for veterans.
The VA planned to spend $ 10.2 billion in fiscal year 2021 on mental health services. While not specifically about anti-suicide spending, some of it most likely helps prevent suicides.
Federal spending for homeless veterans is not limited to the VA. For example, the Department of Labor manages the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, which provides more than $ 50 million per year for an initiative to help homeless veterans get and keep employment.
In addition to these budget allocations, which were approved by former President Donald Trump in 2020, the pandemic relief bills signed by both Trump in 2020 and Biden in 2021 have provided millions of additional funds. to tackle homelessness among ex-combatants. Cawthorn, who took office in January 2021, joined his fellow Republicans in voting against Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion US bailout.
The US bailout includes $ 14.5 billion for veterans health care, broadly defined. Hayes, the spokesperson for VA, said that “part” of this money – he said he could not yet provide an exact dollar figure – “will fund expanded transitional housing, smartphones and d other health care and support services for homeless or at risk of homeless veterans. ”Hayes said that“ these expanded services have helped approximately 37,000 veterans under the CARES Act, ”Bill relief that Trump signed in March 2020.
The American Rescue Plan includes a $ 386 million program to fund the retraining and housing of up to 17,250 veterans who have fallen out of work due to the pandemic. Porter, of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Group, called the housing allowance “generous” and “meaningful.”
The American Rescue Plan also includes broader provisions that could help veterans, among others, who face housing issues – like over $ 21 billion for rent assistance, $ 10 billion for l mortgage assistance, $ 5 billion in emergency housing bonds and nearly $ 5. billion for help to the homeless. And there is $ 4 billion for the prevention and treatment of mental health and addiction disorders.
Cawthorn was correct that the Biden administration places some migrants in hotel rooms, although it is interesting to note that migrants were sometimes placed in hotel rooms under Trump as well. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement to CNN on Saturday that the $ 86.9 million contract with a Texas-based organization, Endeavors, would provide 1,239 beds – as well as health assessments, testing and treatment services. Covid-19 – to the families of migrants who have crossed paths. the border with Mexico. Reuters reported that these migrants would be “initially” accommodated “in seven different branded hotels”; ICE and Endeavors would not provide CNN with more details.
