District 9 Congressman Al Green has received an A+ grade from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Green was awarded the organization’s highest honor because of his voting record on veterans’ issues in the 111th Congress.
“Since I became a member of Congress, the well being of veterans and their families has been of utmost importance for me,” said Green. “We must always remember that the bravery and sacrifice of the members of the Armed Forces guarantee our way of life. This is why I think the nation must reward those who serve with legislation such as such as that which the IAVA has analyzed in its report. Of course, the fact that the Houston Veterans Affairs Administration is located in my congressional district makes these causes even closer to my heart.”
His votes for bills related to homelessness, disability and jobs, as well as his support for the new GI bill, among other issues, earned him the A+ grade.
As part of his focus on veterans’ homelessness, Green is sponsoring the Homes for Heroes bill (H.R. 403), which passed the House in June of 2009. It is currently referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The bill creates a $200 million program that provides 20,000 HUD-VASH vouchers to house homeless veterans, counseling for substance abuse as well as mental health concerns, and a special assistant position within HUD to monitor the status of veterans’ homelessness.
Additionally, Green is also a sponsor of the Veterans, Women, Families with Children and Persons with Disability / Housing Fairness Act (H.R. 476). This bill enhances enforcement efforts to eliminate housing discrimination. It also creates a research program to study the incidence, causes and effects of discrimination on veterans, as well as military personnel in local communities. HR 476 was marked up in the Full Committee on Financial Services on July 28, 2010. It is currently waiting consideration on the House floor.
