•HRES 561 EH 
sense of the Congress that homelessness is a national 
problem requiring a national solution; 
Whereas throughout his career, Representative Vento re-
mained dedicated to securing a commitment of Federal 
resources to address homelessness; 
Whereas the programs established by the McKinney-Vento 
Act have provided housing, education, health care, and 
job training assistance, and critical outreach, to thou-
sands of homeless men, women, and children in the 
United States; 
Whereas the Education for Homeless Children and Youth 
Program of the McKinney-Vento Act has resulted in a 
significant increase in the number of homeless children 
and youth attending school on a regular basis; 
Whereas the McKinney-Vento Act was intended to be only an 
emergency response and not the sole Federal response to 
homelessness; 
Whereas over the course of a year, as many as 3,500,000 
persons are estimated to experience homelessness in the 
United States; 
Whereas approximately 400,000 veterans of the Armed 
Forces of the United States experience homelessness at 
some point over the course of a year; 
Whereas the homeless population includes vulnerable groups 
such as children, unaccompanied youth, and persons with 
disabilities; and 
Whereas there were at least 142 unprovoked assaults against 
homeless persons in 2006, including 20 that resulted in 
death: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
•HRES 561 EH 
(1) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the McKin-
ney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the impact it 
has made on homelessness in the United States; 
(2) recognizes the positive impact the McKinney- 
Vento Act has had on hundreds of thousands of home-
less men, women, children, and youth in the United 
States; 
(3) recognizes the substantial contributions of Rep-
resentatives Stewart B. McKinney and Bruce Vento in 
addressing homelessness; 
(4) recognizes that homelessness continues to be an 
urgent problem in the United States; 
(5) commends the dedication and commitment of 
service providers, including faith-based and nonprofit or-
ganizations, who are working to end homelessness in 
their communities and provide emergency food, shelter, 
and services to homeless Americans; 
(6) recognizes that the lack of affordable housing 
exacerbates homelessness in the United States; 
(7) supports the continued efforts of Federal, State, 
and local governments and private non-profit organiza-
tions in their efforts to prevent and end homelessness 
through the development of affordable housing; 
(8) recognizes that the life expectancy of a homeless 
person in the United States is 30 years shorter than
•HRES 561 EH 
that of the average American and supports efforts to im-
prove the health of homeless Americans; 
(9) supports efforts to prevent and end homeless-
ness among veterans of the Armed Forces of the United 
States; 
(10) supports efforts to ensure accurate and timely 
processing of applications for disability benefits as a 
means of decreasing homelessness among disabled per-
sons; 
(11) recognizes that the safety and well-being of 
homeless persons is an urgent problem; 
(12) recognizes the critical role of education and 
public schools in preventing and ending homelessness, 
and supports efforts to improve stability, services, and 
access to school for homeless children and youth; and 
(13) endeavors to work with the same courage, dig-
nity, and determination exemplified by Representatives 
McKinney and Vento to eliminate homelessness in the 
United States. 
Attest: 
Clerk.