Dear neighbor, 

This week we observe Veterans Day, an opportunity to honor the men and women in uniform who have served our country with courage and selflessness. It is because of their bravery that Americans can enjoy the freedoms we hold dear.

As an Air Force veteran, I am committed to meeting the needs of my fellow veterans and active servicemembers. This year we have made significant progress toward this goal in Los Angeles County. I am honored to support a number of initiatives that will benefit our veterans and their families. While we take this weekend to reflect on the service and sacrifice of our veterans, I wanted to look back at a few of the major accomplishments we have made this year to reduce veteran homelessness and care for our servicemembers. 

HOUSING ON THE VA CAMPUS: In March, the West Los Angeles VA unveiled Building 207, a newly renovated, fully furnished housing opportunity for unhoused and at-risk veterans in our community. These 59 housing units provided safe and comfortable housing for Los Angeles area veterans and their families. Building 207 was a major step in our fight to end veteran homelessness, but the work wasn’t finished yet. 

Buildings 205 and 208 opened in May, providing 120 more open supportive housing units on the West LA VA campus. These two new buildings contain studio and one-bedroom units, including accessible units for veterans with disabilities, as well as recreational and community areas. The grand openings are all part of the West LA VA’s plan to open and fill at least 1,200 housing units in a fully connected and supportive community for veterans. 

These new developments were made possible thanks to the West Los Angeles Leasing Act, which Senator Dianne Feinstein and I wrote in 2016. The law allowed the redevelopment of the campus by enabling the VA to partner with nonprofits to build housing for homeless veterans, as well as creating a framework plan for the revitalization of the campus. Building on the West Los Angeles Leasing Act, Senator Feinstein and I introduced a measure to allow funds generated by easements at the campus to go toward supportive housing for veterans, which was later signed into law as part of the 2022 defense authorization bill. 

This great new housing opportunity for vulnerable veterans is an important step in our efforts to ensure every veteran has a roof over their head. 

Congressman Lieu celebrates the grand opening of Buildings 205 and 208 in May. He was joined by VA Secretary Denis McDonough, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and other local officials and advocates.

HONORING OUR PACT: While Democrats controlled the House last Congress, we passed the bipartisan Honoring our PACT Act. This landmark bill finally expands veterans benefits to servicemembers exposed to toxic chemicals during their service and invests in accessible, quality care for all veterans. Through the PACT Act, the West LA VA will receive an anticipated $381 million through 2036 to support housing construction projects on campus. To learn more about the PACT Act and its impact on veteran benefits, click here.  

Thanks to President Biden and Democrats’ efforts, the VA is on track to set an all-time record for veteran care and benefits in the past fiscal year. PACT Act claims for comprehensive care for veterans are being approved each day, and we will not stop until all veterans receive the benefits they deserve. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in Congress to serve our veterans as they so courageously served us.  

JOIN A CONVERSATION WITH VETERANS: This weekend, I will be hosting Conversations with Veterans, our annual Veterans Day event featuring local veterans. This year, our virtual event will include remarks and stories from members of various branches of the armed forces, including a 100-year-old World War II veteran. To RSVP for this special event, please click here.  

For more information on my work in Congress, please visit my website at lieu.house.gov and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have any questions or concerns, please call my D.C. office at (202) 225-3976 or my Los Angeles district office at (323) 651-1040.    

I look forward to updating you again soon.  

Sincerely,   

Ted W. Lieu

Member of Congress