IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 347 
Honoring the National Association of State Veterans Homes and the 119 
State veterans homes providing long-term care to veterans that are 
represented by that association for their contributions to the health 
care of veterans and the health-care system of the Nation. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 16, 2006 
Mr. SIMMONS (for himself and Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts) submitted the fol-
lowing concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Honoring the National Association of State Veterans Homes 
and the 119 State veterans homes providing long-term 
care to veterans that are represented by that association 
for their contributions to the health care of veterans 
and the health-care system of the Nation. 
Whereas the National Association of State Veterans Homes 
was established in 1954 by a group of administrators of 
State veterans homes to represent the interests of those 
homes in a unified voice before Congress and the Execu-
tive Branch; 
Whereas the National Association of State Veterans Homes 
functions on an all-volunteer basis and focuses on en-
deavors that improve the conditions of care furnished to
•HCON 347 IH 
veterans by State veterans homes, elevate and monitor 
the qualifications for managers of such homes, and pro-
vide continuing education standards for staff who provide 
care to veterans in State veterans homes; 
Whereas the National Association of State Veterans Homes 
has been and continues to be in the forefront of devel-
oping and supporting new methods and models for pro-
viding long-term care services to elderly veterans, such as 
hospice care, respite care, Alzheimer’s care, and adult 
day health care; 
Whereas State veterans homes, which provide long-term care 
to thousands of veterans, were established initially in the 
States of Connecticut, Kansas, Ohio, and Maine in 1868 
to house, feed, and care for thousands of homeless, 
wounded, and permanently scarred Union soldiers and 
thus have been in existence since before the establishment 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the earlier Vet-
erans’ Administration, and its predecessor agencies; 
Whereas in 1888 Congress authorized the Federal payment 
of a daily allowance of 20¢ for the care of each former 
soldier or sailor in a State home-hospital, an allowance 
that continues today in the form of a per diem grant pro-
gram administered by the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs that is authorized to provide up to 50 percent of the 
average daily cost of care, but currently provides only ap-
proximately 30 percent; 
Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs further partici-
pates in the care of veterans in State homes with a 
matching grant program to support construction and 
major renovation projects to sustain those homes and 
build towards sufficient levels of available, high-quality 
health care;
•HCON 347 IH 
Whereas the State veterans homes offer long-term services to 
eligible veterans in need of such services on certification 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs at 119 facilities 
in 47 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; 
Whereas the States determine the allocation of nursing home 
beds in individual facilities, and establish the eligibility of 
veterans and their dependents to occupy those beds, fol-
lowing Federal guidelines; 
Whereas within the limits of their capacities, the State vet-
erans homes provide care for over 27,500 veterans each 
day, accounting for more than 50 percent of the total na-
tional long-term care bed capacity for veterans, thereby 
sharing the enormous responsibility of caring for veterans 
with the Department of Veterans Affairs in an admirable 
partnership; 
Whereas State veterans homes provide quality care for elderly 
and disabled veterans at an average daily cost that is sig-
nificantly less than nursing homes operated by the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs; 
Whereas the number of elderly veterans, particularly those 
over age 85, continues to rise and the need for long-term 
care services for those veterans will continue to rise in 
the coming years; and 
Whereas the Nation’s State veterans homes continue to 
achieve their purpose of improving and sustaining the 
health of elderly, sick, and severely disabled veterans by 
assuring access to affordable nursing care in settings 
that provide personal dignity to truly deserving veterans, 
often at the end of lives spent in service to the Nation: 
Now, therefore, be it
•HCON 347 IH 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress— 
(1) honors the National Association of State 
Veterans Homes and the 119 State veterans homes 
providing long-term care to veterans that are rep-
resented by that association for their significant con-
tributions to the health care of veterans and to the 
health care system of the Nation; 
(2) commends the thousands of individuals who 
work in, or on behalf of, State veterans homes for 
their contributions in caring for elderly and disabled 
veterans; 
(3) recognizes the importance of the partner-
ship between the States and the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs in providing long-term care to vet-
erans; and 
(4) affirms the support of Congress for continu-
ation of the State homes program to address the 
known and anticipated needs of the Nation’s vet-
erans for institutional long-term care services. 
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