Statement of Heather French, Miss America 2000, before the Subcommittee on Benefits of the Committe on Veterans Affairs United States House of Representatives. The Honorable Jack Quinn, Chairman. Washington, DC

Chairman Quinn and Ranking Member Mr. Filner, I thank you for the opportunity to present my views here today as Miss America 2000 while I serve as a national role model and advocate for our homeless veterans. I care about our veterans because, first and foremost beyond the crown, I am the daughter of a disabled Vietnam veteran whose struggles have changed my life forever.

As the first Miss America of the new millennium I have chosen to do so as a bold spokesperson and advocate for our nation's homeless veterans. I have dedicated, not just my year of service, but also my life to creating unprecedented awareness surrounding this issue. I travel over 20,000 miles each month speaking to as many citizens as I possibly can about the needs of these heroes. And I will continue to do so and ask the news media to join me in a partnership that informs and educates young and old alike because I believe their stories deserve to be heard. The story of our veterans is one of ultimate sacrifice, the greatest of love stories, because these soldiers were once willing to lay down their lives for our nation.

Since becoming Miss America in mid-September, 1999, I have been visiting veteran programs all over the nation, from VA programs, to community-based nonprofit organizations, to Stand Downs which are community events held by many organizations and government agencies for outreach to veterans. I have been able to hear countless personal stories of veterans and observe first hand different community-based programs serving the needs of these forgotten heroes.

Today my testimony reflects the position of those community-based providers who are part of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV).

Homeless veterans who have special needs, veterans who have hit the very bottom, including those with long histories of substance abuse, severe PTSD, serious social problems, those who have legal issues, and those who are HIV positive often are shunned by other programs and services. These veterans require more time consuming, specialized, intensive assessment, referrals, and counseling than is possible in other programs that work with other veterans seeking employment.

How did these veterans get to be unemployed and homeless? Each veteran has their own story, but we know that when they are not working they lose their self-respect, which can lead to substance abuse, legal problems, and relationship issues. The decline continues until the formerly proud veteran has nothing and is on the street with so many barriers to employment that there is no clear beginning point for the road back.

When homeless veterans connect to a community-based organization serving veterans their common background serves as a unifying factor as they begin to reconstruct their lives. Recognition of this unity is a key to their individual success. Just as 10 weeks of Boot Camp brings together recruits from all races, cultures, and backgrounds and melds them into a cohesive group who talk the talk and walk the walk, and work as a team with a unified sense of purpose, homeless veteran providers reach out to end the isolation of homeless veterans, bringing them together again into a diverse group working toward a common task…finding a job, securing the job, and keeping the job.

The keys to veterans' success are: finding stable housing or shelter; having a place to go where they feel comfortable and can enhance their self-esteem; and, being allowed the opportunity to pursue and be supported in their efforts for seeking employment. Service providers are committed to helping veterans overcome past failed attempts in employment. When veterans recognize the benefits and are motivated, they can be successful in obtaining employment and becoming productive members of the community.

The alternatives to getting these homeless veterans back to work are to have them continue to rotate through programs that don't provide an employment component, long term hospitalizations due to declining health caused by homelessness, to be a burden to state's welfare programs, and finally death on our streets.

HR4765, 21st Century Veterans Employment and Training Act

Priority of Service
The priority of service for veterans in Federal employment and training services is a right that has been earned by all veterans. These are the men and women who have raised their right hand and sworn with their life to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice."

It is unacceptable to think we would not offer these defenders of our nation a priority to be served by Federally funded programs, especially since veteran specific employment programs comprise only a small portion of Federal job training funding. As many of National Coalition for Homeless Veterans' member organizations report, veterans are dramatically underserved because local and state non-veteran specific providers see them as a Federal problem.

Employment of veterans with respect to Federal contracts
In the measurement and reporting area the billseems to need additional comparison criteria in terms of number of general population referred and placed compared to number of veterans referred and placed.

Enforcement of veterans' employment rights and benefits
In terms of the additional personnel to provide enforcement of veterans' employment rights NCHV would suggest that the Secretary of Labor not just be "authorized" to allocate 10 additional full-time positions but "shall" allocate 10 additional full-time positions. This would ensure that the enforcement receives a priority for veterans.

Modernization of Veterans Employment and Training Services
Establishment of 5-year demonstration program Community-based veteran serving providers, particularly those serving veterans with significant barriers to employment, have little access to Federal funding except through the states or through the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP).

HVRP has received record-breaking support from this committee and appropriations for FY2000 reached an all time high of $10 million. Even with this increase the amount becomes insignificant when you compare it to the approximately $158 million for the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) and Local Veterans Employment Representative program (LVER).

These two programs, DVOP and LVER, should be serving the veterans with significant barriers to employment but often cannot because these veterans have complex problems that need a holistic case management approach. Homeless veterans most often are deeply impoverished and suffer from substance abuse or mental illness, along with life threatening medical issues such as Hepatitis C and HIV maladies. They also have spotty employment history and lengthy periods of unemployment and often have legal issues that can prevent employment.

Community based organizations serving veterans provide a plethora of support services along with housing for these veterans that can assist with removing these barriers to employment. A demonstration program that would provide for competitive grants within states could provide access to funding for these community based organizations in areas where the DVOP and LVER programs are not available or do not have the ability to deal with those veterans with significant barriers to employment. These organizations have proven their success at obtaining employment for those most in need and should be given the opportunity to compete for these resources.

A demonstration program would provide the opportunity to build partnerships within a state for employment services to veterans with significant barriers to employment. Incentive grants should also have weighting criteria to ensure veterans with significant barriers to employment are served.

Establishment of performance standards and outcome measures
NCHV members have expressed their support of a performance accountability system that would ensure poor performance is addressed and good performance is rewarded within the veterans' employment and training services funded by the Federal government.

The weighting of criteria for providing services to veterans with significant barriers to employment should provide incentive for states and staff to serve these veterans and work with community-based providers.

Employment, training, and placement service personnel
NCHV members support the concept of continuity in the Veterans' Employment and Training Service leadership positions. The proposed, five years of continuous service in the Federal service in the executive branch immediately proceeding appointment as Deputy Assistant Secretary, may eliminate qualified veteran candidates that have in depth knowledge and experience in employment of veterans. NCHV members offer an alternative to have open competition of candidates that have acquired similar skills, ability, and knowledge outside the federal government.

Committee to Raise Employer Awareness of Skills of Veterans and Benefits of Hiring Veterans
Our nation has invested billions of dollars into the education and training of the persons that serve in our military it makes sense to remind employers that veterans are a good risk as employees.

Even those veterans that have significant barriers to employment that are in community-based transitional programs have significant advantages over those non-veterans. They usually have a higher education level, have proven successful at employment during their military service, and are in a supportive environment that assists with continual case management that includes maintaining their employment.

It is critical that community groups representing organizations serving veterans with significant barriers to employment be included in the committee membership so these veterans receive the benefits of a marketing campaign.

Study on Economic Benefits to the US of Long Term Sustained Employment of Veterans
NCHV members agree that this proposed study would be beneficial in understanding the economic benefits and to assist in developing future initiatives. The concern is over the length of the project in that eighteen months may not be sufficient to develop, gather, analyze data and offer suggestions. An alternative suggestion is to lengthen the period to thirty months.

HR3256 Veterans' Right to Know Act
Veterans I have met this year often express that they did not know of services and benefits available to them through the Department of Veterans Affairs. I support the concept of improving outreach programs by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

As my year of service continues I will share my personal encounters with these forgotten heroes that I have met. I have seen in their faces the face of my own father and I can tell you that the most beautiful faces in this nation are not those whose heads are adorned with crowns but those who have borne the battle…our veterans.

Having looked into the eyes of men and women who were once decorated with medals only now to be replaced with broken spirits I encourage this committee to implement policy changes that will serve those veterans with significant barriers to employment.

Thank you for this holding this hearing and for your commitment to all our nation's veterans.

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