Hickory Sun

Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry, the leader of the House Financial Services Committee, is questioning Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge about the treatment of disabled veterans by the department. Congressman McHenry has been holding Secretary Fudge accountable for her repeated avoidance of requests to appear before the committee, as well as HUD's lack of attention to issues within its jurisdiction.

During the hearing, Congressman McHenry addressed Secretary Fudge, saying, "Welcome back, Secretary Fudge. It's been 906 days since you last testified in July of 2021. That was your first and only appearance before the committee during your almost three years as Secretary." He expressed his disappointment in her avoidance of issues regarding disabled veterans that have been raised by the non-profit organization Purple Heart Homes.

Congressman McHenry highlighted the urgency of addressing the housing needs of disabled veterans, stating that HUD's treatment of these individuals is exacerbating the homelessness crisis among veterans. He mentioned a specific charity, Purple Heart Homes, located in his district, which provides housing solutions for qualified service-connected disabled veterans. The charity reached out to Congressman McHenry's office for assistance after realizing that HUD's red tape is incorrectly disqualifying disabled veterans from accessing housing assistance through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

The issue at hand is HUD's use of three different definitions of "income" for these veterans, causing confusion and leaving some disabled veterans without access to the support they qualify for. Congressman McHenry wrote to Secretary Fudge in 2022, urging HUD to issue clear guidance to address this problem. However, it took three months for Secretary Fudge to respond, and her response only stated that HUD would consider how to better communicate income definitions. Congressman McHenry persisted, writing again and requesting swift action to resolve the issue. Secretary Fudge's subsequent response defended the existing rules, claiming they do not disenfranchise disabled veterans.

Congressman McHenry expressed his disappointment with Secretary Fudge's lack of attention to such a serious problem facing the nation's veterans. He emphasized that denying support to disabled veterans in any capacity is unacceptable and that HUD has a legal and moral obligation to do better. He also raised concerns about the unresponsiveness of the Biden Administration to Congressional inquiries, stating that it appears to be an alarming trend among regulators and agency heads.

In conclusion, Congressman McHenry made it clear that Congress will carry out its oversight duties, seek answers on behalf of the American people, and hold Secretary Fudge accountable for the decisions she makes. The hearing serves as a reminder that no one is above the law and that addressing the housing needs of disabled veterans is of utmost importance.