House
Concurrent
Resolution
7
-
Introduced
HOUSE
CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
NO.
7
BY
CHAMBERS
and
KEARNS
A
Concurrent
Resolution
supporting
the
establishment
of
1
a
veterans
national
recovery
center
at
the
former
2
Veterans
Affairs
Hospital
campus
in
Knoxville,
Iowa.
3
WHEREAS,
Iowa
has
a
proud
tradition
of
supporting
4
veterans
who
have
fought
to
protect
us
all;
and
5
WHEREAS,
the
history
of
war
is
such
that
veterans
6
do
not
need
to
bleed
to
be
injured,
evidenced
by
7
“soldier’s
heart”
in
the
Civil
War,
“shell
shock”
in
8
World
War
II,
and
post-traumatic
stress
disorder
(PTSD)
9
and
traumatic
brain
injury
(TBI)
today,
demonstrating
10
that
what
veterans
see
and
experience
can
change
them
11
in
profound
ways;
and
12
WHEREAS,
society
is
only
beginning
to
understand
13
how
these
potentially
lifelong
conditions
affect
the
14
ability
of
the
returning
veteran
to
adapt
to
society,
15
often
resulting
in
homelessness,
drug
addiction,
and
16
suicide,
even
though
these
emotional
and
physiological
17
wounds
remain
unseen
unlike
physical
injuries
from
18
combat;
and
19
WHEREAS,
nationwide
there
are
an
estimated
126,000
20
homeless
veterans
today,
and
recovery
facilities
are
21
scarce,
especially
in
small
urban
and
rural
areas,
with
22
an
estimated
30,000-recovery-bed
shortage,
including
23
a
shortage
of
8,000
beds
for
the
two-year
Department
24
of
Veterans
Affairs-funded
transitional
program
for
25
homeless
veterans;
and
26
WHEREAS,
homelessness
among
veterans
has
for
years
27
been
considered
a
local
and
regional
problem,
as
local
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citizens
can
best
reintegrate
the
local
soldier
into
1
the
fabric
of
local
society;
and
2
WHEREAS,
this
local
problem
creates
a
need
for
a
3
veterans
national
recovery
center
because
nothing
4
similar
exists
today
for
homeless
veterans;
and
5
WHEREAS,
a
vision
exists
in
which
homeless
veterans
6
from
around
the
region
and
nation
can
access
an
7
integrated
services
center
that
provides
training,
8
counseling,
personal
connectivity
from
outside
9
providers
to
create
an
environment
that
can
lift
the
10
spirits
and
aspirations
of
even
the
most
discouraged
11
homeless
veteran,
to
give
veterans
from
underserved
12
areas,
both
rural
and
suburban,
priority
services,
13
and
to
conduct
needed
research
into
the
solutions
for
14
homelessness
among
veterans;
and
15
WHEREAS,
the
integrated
services
center
could
16
network
with
national
corporations
at
the
highest
level
17
to
provide
job
and
living
opportunities
across
the
18
country
to
homeless
veterans
that
have
progressed
to
19
psychological
stability
and
self-sufficiency;
and
20
WHEREAS,
base
funding
is
available
for
operations
21
through
programs
promoted
by
the
United
States
22
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs,
including
a
capitals
23
program,
a
transportation
program,
and
a
two-year
24
program
intended
to
transition
the
homeless
veteran
25
from
the
street
to
a
working,
stable
home;
and
26
WHEREAS,
the
former
Veterans
Affairs
Hospital
27
campus
at
Knoxville,
Iowa,
is
available
and
has
the
28
capacity
to
support
the
veterans
national
recovery
29
center
for
veterans
who
are
homeless
or
have
suffered
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H.C.R.
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from
post-traumatic
stress
disorders
or
traumatic
1
brain
injuries,
and
can
provide
jobs
for
veterans
and
2
nonveterans
alike
and
economic
development
to
the
3
area;
NOW
THEREFORE,
4
BE
IT
RESOLVED
BY
THE
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES,
THE
5
SENATE
CONCURRING,
That
the
General
Assembly
of
the
6
State
of
Iowa
views
the
establishment
of
a
veterans
7
national
recovery
center
at
the
former
Veterans
Affairs
8
Hospital
campus
in
Knoxville,
Iowa,
favorably
and
urges
9
the
United
States
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs
to
10
take
those
actions
necessary
to
implement
the
center’s
11
establishment.
12
BE
IT
FURTHER
RESOLVED,
That
upon
passage,
the
Chief
13
Clerk
of
the
House
of
Representatives
immediately
14
transmit
a
copy
of
this
resolution
to
the
Honorable
15
Eric
Shinseki,
Secretary
of
the
United
States
16
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs.
17
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