Durbin, Illinois Delegation Discuss Illinois Veterans Issues with Assistant Secretary Duckworth
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – At the monthly Illinois Delegation Luncheon hosted by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Tammy Duckworth, discussed the importance of improving services for homeless veterans in Illinois. Other members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation attending today’s luncheon include: Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL), Debbie Halvorson (D-IL), Dan Lipinski (D-IL) and Mike Quigley (D-IL).
“Nearly 18,000 veterans in the Chicagoland area are homeless. This is unacceptable,” said Durbin. “President Obama and the Secretary of the VA, Eric Shinseki, have made a bold commitment end veteran homelessness in five years. I support their efforts and look forward to working with them and Assistant Secretary Duckworth on this vital issue.”
The St. Leo Campus for Veterans, located in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood, is an unprecedented example of the type of partnerships VA can establish with private organization to reach Secretary Shinseki’s stated goal of ending homelessness among veterans. The campus, run by Catholic Charities, provides veterans with a place to live and the tools they need to pull themselves out of homelessness. VA personnel are housed on the campus to ensure residents have access to the support and training they need. The Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act – of which Durbin is a cosponsor – would support the efforts of organizations like St. Leo’s while establishing a comprehensive plan to end veteran homelessness.