Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, I am proud to be once again reintroducing the Housing Assistance for Veterans Act, HAVEN Act, with my colleague, Senator Johanns.

Last year, we joined forces to successfully pass this legislation as an amendment during the Senate's consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA. Unfortunately, due to concerns by some on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, it was not included in the final version of the NDAA. Those concerns have been addressed in this version of the HAVEN Act, and I would like to thank the Veterans' Affairs Committee for working cooperatively with us to strengthen the legislation.

Our veterans have made many personal sacrifices in service to our Nation, and we must honor our commitment to provide them with the care they have earned and deserve. One such way is to ensure that they have access to adequate housing.

According to Rebuilding Together, 5.5 million of our veterans are disabled, and one and a half million are at risk of homelessness. In my home State of Rhode Island, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 19,000 veterans with disabilities, each of whom face their own unique challenges in terms of their housing needs.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, has programs that assist veterans in adapting and improving their homes, but unfortunately, these programs do not extend assistance to all veterans with disabilities. It is clear we must do more, and with this legislation, we are seeking to serve all veterans with disabilities, regardless of the severity of the disability and whether the disability is service-connected.

The HAVEN Act will give veterans the opportunity to renovate and modify their existing homes by installing wheelchair ramps, widening doors, re-equipping rooms, and making necessary additions and adjustments to existing structures--all so that these homes are safer and more suitable for our veterans.

Our legislation encourages key stakeholders, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the VA, housing non-profits, and veterans service organizations, to work together to serve our veterans. In order to extend the reach of this Federal funding, grant recipients would be expected to either match Federal funding or make in-kind contributions, through encouraging volunteers to help make repairs or engaging businesses to donate needed supplies.

This bill is supported by the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America, VetsFirst, a program of United Spinal Association, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Habitat for Humanity, and Rebuilding Together. I thank Senator Johanns for working with me on this important bill, and I look forward to working with him and the rest of our colleagues to pass this legislation.

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, our economy will not work for individuals or for our nation unless we create and support avenues for adults to continue their education and build their skills. These are longstanding issues that I have worked on for many years, including the last attempt to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act. I was pleased to work with Senator Webb in the 112th Congress on the Adult Education and Economic Growth Act, and I am proud to reintroduce it today with Senator Brown. I thank Congressman Rubén Hinojosa for introducing the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

The Adult Education and Economic Growth Act increases the investment in adult education programs; ensures better coordination among adult education programs, workforce development programs, and higher education; strengthens professional development for adult education providers; expands the use of technology in adult education programs; and provides incentives for employers to support their workers who need adult education services.

In Rhode Island, roughly 41 percent of working age adults have a college degree. By 2018, it is estimated that 61 percent of Rhode Island jobs will require some postsecondary education. We have an estimated 91,000 individuals without a high school diploma--the basic ticket to accessing postsecondary education and training.

Nationally, the numbers make a similar case for the need to invest in adult education. According to the National Commission on Adult Literacy, 80 to 90 million U.S. adults today, about half of the adult workforce, do not have the basic education and communication skills required to obtain jobs that pay a family-sustaining wage. These individuals continue to struggle in the recovering economy, with unemployment rates above 10 percent for individuals who do not have a high school diploma, compared to 7.6 percent for high school graduates and less than 4 percent for workers with bachelor's degrees.

Simply put, we will not be able to close the skills gap without a robust investment in adult education. Unfortunately, we have not been making this kind of investment. Funding has been anemic, and as a result, services reach fewer than 3 million adults annually--a fraction of the need.

The Adult Education and Economic Growth will help turn around this dire situation by increasing the authorization for adult education programs authorized under Title II of the Workforce Investment Act to $850 million and establishing a new state technology grant for adult education to upgrade the delivery system and assist adults in attaining critical digital literacy skills. This legislation requires state and local workforce investment boards to address adult education in their plans for using funds authorized under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act, including incorporating adult education into career pathways programs and offering integrated education and training programs. It also strengthens programs and services for English learners, including authorizing the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Program, and for adults with disabilities. The legislation will also build the knowledge base on what works for adult learners through a National Center for Adult Education, Literacy, and Workplace Skills. Finally, the Adult Education and Economic Growth Act will provide employers with tax incentives to invest in developing the basic skills of their employees.

In sum, the Adult Education and Economic Growth Act offers a comprehensive approach to reaching the millions of adults who need basic skills, English literacy instruction, or a secondary school diploma so that they can embark on a career pathway that leads to economic stability and success. I am pleased to have worked with the National Commission on Adult Literacy in developing this legislation. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this bill and work with me to include its provisions in the pending reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act.

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