Building a Safe Haven for Heroes

Senator Mike Johanns

Americans can sleep soundly in the comfort of our homes with the peace of mind that the strongest military in the world is standing guard.  Our military men and women volunteer to risk it all so that our country might remain a safe and secure haven for families in Nebraska and across the country.

The security we enjoy comes with a price, and many of our military heroes return to their homes with the visible and unseen scars of battle. The effects of war often pose new challenges for our returning veterans, and sometimes, the home they left is not equipped for new accommodations our heroes now require.
We owe it to those who have sacrificed so much protecting our freedoms at home to ensure they have a safe and accessible home to return to following their tour of service.
Nearly a quarter of America’s 21.4 million veterans live with a disability, and 1.5 million are at risk of becoming homeless. For those veterans who have suffered life-altering injuries, such as amputations or traumatic brain injuries while defending our freedom, reintegrating into civilian life can be difficult, especially when new, often costly accommodations are not present at home.
This week, Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and I introduced legislation to help our disabled and low-income veterans with homes in need of repairs or modifications.  The Housing Assistance for Veterans (or HAVEN) Act fills in gaps in existing programs designed to help disabled servicemembers or veterans who require certain adaptations for their homes such as wheelchair ramps and accessible bathrooms. The bill allows the Veterans Affairs (VA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Departments to share resources, through competitive grants, with organizations dedicated to providing home rehabilitation and modifications for our deserving heroes. These services include simple repairs, such as roof work, plumbing and wiring, as well as installing handrails, handicap-accessible showers and accessible doors and hallways.
Our bipartisan legislation also creates public-private partnerships, leveraging and expanding the abilities of non-profits and volunteers committed to assisting with the housing needs of disabled and low-income veterans. Many organizations, such as Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity, have touched the lives of thousands of retired military families, but with so many veterans in need, these organizations cannot fulfill this mission alone. The HAVEN Act develops a program where nonprofits and veterans service organizations team up with local VA facilities to identify qualifying veterans who are in need of home repairs and modifications.
Ensuring our military heroes have safe and accessible homes after giving so much to provide a secure homeland for all Americans is the least we can do. This legislation takes needed strides to improve the quality of life for veterans, keeping them in their own homes instead of more costly health care facilities. With a growing population of veterans, it is imperative that we make available adequate tools needed to assist in this effort.  A similar bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives, and I am hopeful that Congress can work together to make this proposal a reality in a timely manner. Helping our veterans is a moral responsibility we all share.