"Homeless Veterans: America's Silent Epedemic" Notable Comments made by panelists

• Beryl Love (AMVETS) - Urged attendees to partner with local community groups for outreach and awareness. Being 'in-your-face' may work on the Hill, but may not work on a local level.
• Stephanie Nagy (USVETS) - In the past 3 to 5 years, there has been a significant increase in demand for services by women veterans. USVETS has a model program for women veterans in Las Vegas, Houston and Arizona. Best practice advice: former homeless veterans as staff can relate to clients and help with treatments. Americorps is a good organization to help spread the word to the homeless communuity.
• Tony Timm (Central Iowa Shelter & Services) - Encourages people to educate their communities about homelessness. It won't end, but we can work to reduce it. His group partners along with the local communinty college to use veterans to rehab houses. It helps the community and gives veterans a tangible skills they can take to the marketplace.
• Greg Crawford (Southeast Veterans Service Center) - We need to educate our communities about who our veterans are, so we can put a face to the problem.
• Tony Sid - Circle of Friends for American Veterans - Our cause will not be measured by our numbers, but by our persistance.
• Chad Lego - Circle of Friends for American Veterans - George Washington made a statement in 1783 that reads "Each citizen of a free government owes his services to defend it." I say, "A government owes its defenders the respect and dignity for their services."

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Highlights from Day 1 - Afternoon

"How did Veterans sink so low on the Nation's agenda?" Notable Comments made by panelists

• John Scarborough - Victory Support Services - Noted that his facility in the Philadelphia area serves 200 veterans, but more is needed to meet the demand.
• Freddie Harrison - Georgia Center for Veterans Rehab/Employment & Training - Our program is 3 years old and we want to build a facility to help 250-300 Veterans in SE United States. Pre-development funding and we want to help Veterans who want to get back on their feet. Big question is not "How", but rather "Why" Veterans have sank so low is due to the loss of focus. Veterans are seen in a different light once they return.
• Yolanda Deane - Compassion House - Veterans have fallen in priority because they are no longer needed. We forgot what Veterans have sacrificed to make America great. Organizations need to unite - strength in numbers.

"Can America Be Free With a Bankrupt Economy?" - Helping Veterans and Saving the Country from Mindless Spending and Pointless Programs - Notable Comments made by panelists

• Jack Martin - FAIR
• David Williams - Citizens Against Government Waste
• Adam Hughes - OMD Watch
• Peter Sepp - National Taxpayers Union
• Steve Ellis - Taxpayers for Common Sense

All the panelists had a common goal and that was to acknowledge the enormity of the issue of Government waste. These issues include bank bailout's, wasteful spending for out-dated and unmonitored Government programs that are passing out billions and billions of dollars often without any accountability. Reforms and changes need to be made to recognize our Veterans and provide them with the support they need once they return home and Congress needs to address these concerns and work to provide adequate funding for Veterans facilities and programs.

"Priorities in National Security Spending" - Notable Comments made by panelists

• John Isaacs - Council for a Livable World - Discussed how dangerous nuclear weapons are and how those funds could be used to support Veterans.
• Mandy Smithberger - Project on Government Oversight - Talked about costly and unnecessary weapons acquistion programs, which waste money that could be used to strengthen our national security and help Veterans.
• Laura Peterson - Taxpayers for Common Sense - Pointed out how unnecessary Congressional earmarks undermine our national security and hurt the economy.
• Lawrence Kolb - Center for American Progress - Said that when wars are started they need to be planned properly. The US should not have moved its attention from Afghanistan.

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Highlights from Day 2 - Members of Congress address the issues facing Veterans

Click Here for the Photo Gallery - Day 2

• Congressman Ron Klein (FL) - There is no excuse and it's part of our responsibility that we have, as Members of Congress, to affirm the Veterans Bill of Rights.
• Senator Richard Burr - We need community-based healthcare for the VA and get out of the business of building billion-dollar hospitals. The promise made to Veterans has no party affiliation. The only promise is to fulfill what has been promised to them.
• Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (PA) - Just got back from addressing Congress and presenting the Veterans Bill of Rights and confirmed her committment to fight on the behalf of Veterans rights with an emphasis on the growing homeless Vet epedemic.
• Congressman Bob Filner (CA) - Chairman, House Veterans Affairs Committee - Discussed how it's a tragedy that we are considered to be the most technolocally advanced country in the world and we have an ernormous backlog of VA Claims. He addressed and acknowledged the issues and concerns facing our Veterans, especially the homeless issue.
• Senator Robert P. Casey (PA) - The Senator made it clear that he is committed to doing all he can to improve the care for our current Veterans as well as those who return from combat.