President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Friday to use money that had previously been used for services for illegal aliens to create a national center for homeless veterans.
The National Center for Warrior Independence must be established on the Veterans Affairs site in West Los Angeles, per the president’s directive to the secretary of veterans affairs.
According to the White House, Los Angeles has more homeless veterans than any other city in the nation, with roughly 3,000 of them living there. This represents almost 10% of all homeless veterans in America.
“The new National Center for Warrior Independence will help them and other veterans like them rebuild their lives,” the White House stated.
Veterans from all over the country will be able to seek and obtain care, benefits, and services “to which they are entitled,” according to the White House.
Under the order, money that would have been used for housing or other services for undocumented immigrants will instead be used to build, set up, and manage the new facility.
“The Center will promote self-sufficiency through housing, substance abuse treatment, and support for productive work for the veterans housed there,” the White House stated.
By 2028, the center hopes to host up to 6,000 homeless veterans, according to the statement.
Additionally, the order orders the secretary of veterans affairs to “restore accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)” and urges the secretary of housing and urban development to employ vouchers to assist homeless veterans.
Along with taking action against those who have engaged in misconduct, the directive directs VA to look into and correct the Biden administration’s decision to “rehire and reinstate back pay for employees previously fired for misconduct.”
Additionally, the order guarantees that veterans will have more alternatives for care, benefits, and services, including shorter wait times for appointments with the Veterans Health Administration thanks to options like weekend appointments, extended hours, and virtual healthcare.
In order to sustain a full-service medical center in New Hampshire, the directive also instructs the Manchester VA Medical Center to conduct a feasibility study on service expansion.
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“President Trump strongly believes that every veteran deserves our gratitude, and that the federal government should treat veterans like the heroes they are,” according to the White House.
The directive was issued a week after the White House declared that Trump would recognize active-duty service members and veterans and celebrate the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army on June 14 with a military parade.
