Veterans’ Affairs

Today I met with Peter Kelleher, the President and CEO of Harbor Homes and Mara Huberlie, the Director of Development. It was a very good conversation. I look forward to speaking and working with Harbor Homes as I move along with this documentary. I was very grateful that they provided me an opportunity to interview the folks at Buckingham Place. The stories told that day will live with me for a long time. I will also remember the sincere kindness among the people who lived there. The outlook that each of them had is so promising. They just knew they’d be taken care of.

It makes you wonder why a place like this cannot exist in every major city across America. I’m not talking about a homeless shelter but a real transitional home for veterans like Buckingham Place. The issue is more human motivation or the willingness to want to produce change in my opinion. Imagine if you will, a place that can accommodate not only the veteran but his/her family as well. A place that is safe, offers programs to help them become better citizens AND puts them in line with the resources that they need such as VA Benefits, etc. It’s a reality and people will soon find out how simple it is.

Like I said, if people can be aware of the problems and be provided a solution to fix it, the next step is just acting upon it.

Bottom line is Buckingham Place needs money to maintain their services. Bills that get treated like this, make it that much more difficult and can cause people to second guess the ease of implementation.

H.R.2699
Title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal authority for adjustments to per diem payments to homeless veterans service centers for receipt of other sources of income, to extend authorities for certain programs to benefit homeless veterans, and for other purposes.

The actions taken:

ALL ACTIONS:

6/13/2007:

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

6/20/2007:

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

This bill is going no where at the moment. This one and many like it will never see the light of day. Makes you wonder why people don’t act on items like this. With only 3 co-sponsers and no action since the middle of last year, people ought to be ashamed of themselves.

If you’d like to contact the person who sponsored this bill, his name is Patrick Murphey. He can be reach here.