12/7/2017

BUDGET/HUD/VA/VETS: “Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin has killed a plan to shift money from a major homelessness program in response to a wave of protest from veterans’ advocates, who said the move would aggravate conditions for chronically ill and vulnerable vets.
Advocates for veterans, state officials and even officials from HUD, which co-sponsors the $460 million program, had attacked the decision, saying the service has helped dramatically reduce homelessness among veterans. After POLITICO published a story about their anger, Shulkin reversed course late Wednesday…
The announcement came after a confusing week of messaging from the VA. On Nov. 27, Shulkin and HUD Secretary Ben Carson appeared at a Washington shelter to tout President Donald Trump’s commitment to ending veteran homelessness…
A person involved with the program said the decision to cut it was made with no input from rank-and-file VA or HUD staff and surprised even employees at the VA.”

-Arthur Allen and Lorraine Woellert, “VA kills plan to cut homeless-vet program after outcry,” Politico, Dec. 7, 2017 11:52am