Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093

(Washington, DC) On Tuesday U.S. Senator Larry Craig received the 2007 Congressional Award from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans for his efforts to end homelessness among the nation's veterans.

"The number of homeless on any given night is too high and we are working hard on Capitol Hill to turn those numbers around," said Craig, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

The organization that honored the Idaho senator said that Craig was chosen for his leadership regarding homeless veterans issues and support of homeless veteran service provider programs.

"We especially appreciate Senator Craig's success in drafting and ensuring enactment of Public Law 109-461, which permanently authorizes the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, the largest federal veteran-specific homeless assistance program in the nation. This is one of the most historic achievements in the history of the homeless veteran assistance movement," said Cheryl Beversdorf, President and CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.

Congress first passed legislation addressing the homelessness problem involving veterans in 1987. That legislation emphasized collaboration with local community service providers to help expand services to more veterans in crisis. A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website states that the approach has reduced the number of homeless veterans by nearly 25 percent over the last six years.

"The best help for the poor and the homeless is a strong economy, and we have that right now. Unemployment numbers are very low nationally at 4.5 percent, and in my home state of Idaho, unemployment is a 2.3 percent. A good job beats a government program every time, but where the federal government can help, we will," Craig said.

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