Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Cori Bush (D-MO), and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) announced the reestablishment of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness on February 28. The caucus will provide a dedicated forum for members of Congress to work toward the common goal of ending homelessness in the U.S. NLIHC strongly supports the creation of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, which will play a vital role in educating legislators and their staffs, securing additional resources for key programs, and identifying policy opportunities to address the crisis of homelessness.
The Congressional Caucus on Homelessness plans to analyze the complex factors contributing to homelessness and educate members on the federal programs that are key to serving people experiencing homelessness. The caucus will continue to advocate for funding for these programs and explore policies needed to secure affordable housing and voluntary support services for the 580,00 individuals experiencing homelessness on any given night in the U.S.
“Housing is vital to a full and meaningful participation in society, but too many people in Oregon and across our country lack a safe and stable place to call home,” said Rep. Bonamici. “I am grateful for the opportunity to reestablish the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness with my colleagues Reps. Barragán, Garcia, and Bush. The caucus will help members find common ground as we pursue humane, research-backed policies to address homelessness.”
“The United States is experiencing a national homelessness crisis,” said Rep. Barragán. “In Los Angeles County alone there are over 69,000 people experiencing homelessness. Addressing this serious issue requires collaboration, education, and advocacy to improve the lives of our unhoused community members. The Caucus will help to open dialogue and facilitate important conversations about the best ways to solve this crisis.”
“The need for housing is universal, yet over 500,000 people across the country experience being unhoused,” said Rep. Bush. “This is the result of policy failures, and Congress has a moral responsibility to address the unhoused crisis. This caucus provides an important forum for leaders in Congress to cultivate ideas and encourage our fellow Members to support legislative solutions to continue to tackle the housing crisis and ultimately solve it once and for all.”
“It has always been one of my top priorities to ensure equitable opportunity for all Americans, regardless of background, financial condition, ability, or housing status,” said Rep. Garcia. “As a Member of the House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, I will dedicate my efforts to finding legislative solutions, advocating for critical funding, and keeping our nation’s most vulnerable people housed. We, as Co-Chairs, will fight for homeless individuals alongside our Caucus Members with the collective goal of eradicating this failure in our system, as we believe that housing is a human right.”
Read the press release for more information and a full list of caucus members: https://bit.ly/3JbY2cx