WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced $29,646 in federal funding to provide rental assistance and clinical services for homeless veterans in Circleville as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) voucher program. This funding will provide rental assistance – in partnership with the Pickaway Metropolitan Housing Authority – for homeless veterans, while partnering them with a local Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center. This is second round of housing assistance awarded this Fiscal Year.

“Veterans who serve their country in order to protect our freedoms should never face homelessness,” Brown said.  “This rental assistance for homeless veterans in Circleville is an important step in honoring the promise to support those who have already given so much to our nation.” 

As the only Ohio Senator to serve a full term on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Brown continues to work to address issues facing Ohio veterans. Brown served on the veterans’ conference committee to negotiate the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014, legislation signed into law August 7, 2014 to ensure accountability at the VA while improving the delivery of health care provided to our nation’s veterans.

In July 2014, Brown introduced the Mental-health Exposure Military Official Record Act (MEMORy Act), legislation that would ensure that unit commanders document events that could affect individual service members and later be connected to Post-Traumatic Stress, mild Traumatic Brain Injury, or other injuries.

In response to the disability claims backlog, Brown has helped secure record funds and staffing for the VA to combat the backlog. In November 2013, Brown announced that key provisions of his Veterans Services Outreach (VSO) Act passed the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. The Act would require the VA to notify veterans filing claims electronically that they can receive help and important time-saving information that could significantly reduce their wait time.  In August, Brown announced that he would also work to pass the Claims Processing Improvement Act of 2013, legislation that would hold the VA accountable by requiring it to publically report information on both its projected monthly goals and actual production so that Congress and the public knows if the VA is working toward eliminating its backlog. The bill would also establish a task force to hire and train claims processors, and develop tactics to attack and eliminate the backlog.

In December 2013, Brown announced his support for the Homeless Veterans Prevention Actlegislation that would improve homelessness prevention programs and increase the availability of transitional housing for veterans.

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