HR5997-119

What This Bill Does

The Helping Homeless Veterans Act of 2025 makes permanent several Department of Veterans Affairs programs that assist homeless veterans and veterans with special needs. These programs were previously authorized on a temporary basis with expiration dates, and this bill removes those sunset provisions to ensure continuous support.

Who Benefits and How

Homeless Veterans and Veterans with Special Needs are the primary beneficiaries. They will continue to have access to housing assistance, transitional housing, and support services without the uncertainty of program expirations. The bill guarantees $420 million annually for these programs starting after fiscal year 2026, providing stable long-term funding.

Veterans Service Organizations and Housing Providers that operate transitional housing and support programs also benefit from the funding certainty, allowing them to plan operations and maintain facilities without worrying about annual reauthorizations.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Federal Taxpayers bear the cost of the $420 million annual authorization, though this represents a continuation of existing spending levels rather than new expenditure.

No specific groups face new regulatory burdens from this legislation, as it primarily removes expiration dates from existing programs rather than creating new requirements.

Key Provisions

• Removes sunset provisions from multiple sections of title 38 U.S. Code (Sections 2031, 2041, 2061, and 2066) that govern homeless veteran assistance programs
• Authorizes $420,000,000 per year for homeless veteran programs for each fiscal year after 2026
• Converts temporary program authorizations to permanent status by changing language from "fiscal years 2007 through 2024" to "each fiscal year"
• Maintains continuity of services including transitional housing, case management, and supportive services for homeless and at-risk veterans