The Nation : Reagan Signs $1.3-Billion Homeless Bill

President Reagan signed legislation authorizing a two-year, $1.3-billion program for the homeless, saying it would permit the government to “address effectively the plight of those who do not have shelter.” The bill authorizes $633.8 million for this fiscal year and $675.8 million for the fiscal year that will begin next Oct. 1. The measure is a compromise reached by Senate and House negotiators shortly before Congress adjourned. Funds are authorized for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which aids nonprofit groups and local governments in providing shelter, food and other services. Money will also go to the Department of Housing and Urban Development for grants to renovate buildings for use as emergency shelters and for their operation. The law expands the Job Training Partnership Act to assist individuals in developing marketable skills, the President said.