Today, Congressman Kevin McCarthy delivered a Floor speech on the VET TEC Expansion Act and the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Act, two bills he introduced this Congress to enhance existing veterans benefits programs by expanding and streamlining them. These bills subsequently passed the House today as part of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020.

Highlights of the speech are below, or you can watch it in its entirety here.

“Since coming to Congress in 2007, one of my most important priorities in this Chamber has been to protect and improve the benefits that our nation’s veterans have earned and deserve.

“I introduced the VET TEC Expansion Act and the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Act earlier this Congress in response to comments and feedback I received from veterans and veterans organizations throughout my district and across the country.

“The VET TEC Expansion Act would continue to ensure that our heroes can enhance the skills they developed in the military when returning to civilian life by providing access to non-traditional and technology-oriented courses through the VET TEC Pilot Program. This bill would expand VET TEC to include part-time courses and allow additional course providers into the VET TEC Pilot Program...

“In addition, no veteran, in my district or anywhere in the country, should be homeless due to unnecessary VA staffing vacancies. The Reducing Veteran Homelessness Act would require that the VA contract out any consistently vacant HUD-VA Supportive Housing case management positions to community experts, so that unused housing vouchers can be matched with homeless veterans who need them most…”