lt col. steve smith, senator leno, mayor lee, thank you all for coming today. madam leader, thank you for your an unwavering support to our veterans. it is an honor and pleasure to have you here today. [applause] i am so proud of our mission and to be here today as we bring attention to the effort to end homelessness. she has covered the important role our community plays in the effort. as a career va employee, i have had the privilege of serving america's veterans. it is a particular honor to serve in the mission to eliminate homelessness. sadly, veterans lead the nation in homelessness, depression, substance abuse, and suicide. these are daunting facts. something must be done about it. with the cooperation and partnership of those of you here today, we will work together to decisively end homelessness. we've heard the list of the formal forces that have gathered. together, i think we can do it. is our honor, duty, and mission to help those in need. the va has set a goal of ending homelessness among veterans by 2015. some may find this a difficult if not impos