CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WRN) — A bill circulating at the Capitol could restore funding for a program that assists homeless Wisconsin veterans.
The Department of Veterans Affairs operates the Veterans Housing and Recovery Program at sites in Union Grove, Chippewa Falls and Green Bay, with the latter two slated close next month.
“They have enough funds to keep one open. We need the 1.9 million for the two facilities that are threatened to be closed right now,” said Eau Claire area Democrat Jeff Smith.
Smith is the bill’s state Senate author and says it’s up to Republican leaders whether the facilities survive.
“This can happen almost overnight. They’ve done it before with other things that they care about. Hopefully they care enough about this one too,” Smith said.
The needed funding didn’t make it into the state budget, with Republican co-chairs on the finance committee saying Democratic Governor Tony Evers didn’t make it a priority during negotiations. Lawmakers could return to the Capitol for a floor period next month.
