Michelle Obama Promotes Ending Vet Homelessness

First lady Michelle Obama recites a "wrap" song written by students from George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., about healthy eating as she announced proposed guidelines for local school wellness polic... First lady Michelle Obama recites a "wrap" song written by students from George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., about healthy eating as she announced proposed guidelines for local school wellness policies during an event in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) MORE LESS
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid a furor over the failings of federal
health-care programs for veterans, Michelle Obama was putting the
spotlight Wednesday on a program that is working to reduce homelessness
among vets.

The first lady was welcoming to the White House some 20 mayors and local officials who are among dozens around the country participating in the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness. She was being joined at the event by acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Sloan Gibson and Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan.

The Obama administration in 2010 set a goal of ending homelessness among veterans by the end of 2015. Veteran homelessness has dropped by 24 percent since then, but there were still nearly 58,000 homeless veterans as of January 2013, according to the most recent statistics available. That represented 12 percent of all homeless adults.

Mrs. Obama was announcing the commitment of 77 mayors, four governors and four county officials to participate in the mayors challenge. And she was calling on additional mayors and local leaders around the country to join the program.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned last week amid a growing scandal over patient delays and allegations of falsified waiting lists at VA hospitals and clinics nationwide. A federal investigation found broad problems throughout the veterans health care system, which provides medical care to about 6.5 million veterans a year.

___

Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nbenac

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Notable Replies

  1. Conservative outrage loading…

  2. No doubt, if the First Lady is for it, they’re against it…even if it involves taking our vets off the streets and providing them some decent housing for serving our country. Their argument as usual will be lame and will go something like this…“We can’t afford it…it costs too much…the national debt will explode…argle-bargle…”

  3. Of all issues to contend, one would think that caring for homeless veterans would be a unifier between left and right and not a divider. However, the GOP obstruction train has no brakes and madness is at the switch. In the end, this will hurt the GOP and help Democrats.

  4. Avatar for darcy darcy says:

    Late to the party Michelle? Go tend to your vegetable garden.

  5. And if a pig had wings, you could fly. Who gives a shit? Do try to stay on topic.

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