[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 319 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 319

 Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Senate should participate 
in and support activities to provide decent homes for the people of the 
                 United States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 9, 2000

 Mr. Brownback (for himself, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Allard, Mr. Ashcroft, Mr. 
Baucus, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Bingaman, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Bryan, Mr. 
  Bunning, Mr. Campbell, Mr. L. Chafee, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Cochran, Ms. 
Collins, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Craig, Mr. Crapo, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. 
Durbin, Mr. Edwards, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Gorton, Mr. Graham, Mr. Grams, 
Mr. Grassley, Mr. Helms, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. 
Inouye, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Levin, 
    Mr. McCain, Mr. Murkowski, Mr. Nickles, Mr. Reed, Mr. Robb, Mr. 
Sarbanes, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, Mr. Smith of Oregon, 
Mr. Stevens, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Warner, Mr. 
Wellstone, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Senate should participate 
in and support activities to provide decent homes for the people of the 
                 United States, and for other purposes.

Whereas the United States promotes and encourages the creation and 
        revitalization of sustainable and strong neighborhoods in partnership 
        with States, cities, and local communities and in conjunction with the 
        independent and collective actions of private citizens and 
        organizations;
Whereas establishing a housing infrastructure strengthens neighborhoods and 
        local economies and nurtures the families who reside in them;
Whereas an integral element of a strong community is a sufficient supply of 
        affordable housing;
Whereas affordable housing may be provided in traditional and nontraditional 
        forms, including apartment buildings, transitional and temporary homes, 
        condominiums, cooperatives, and single family homes;
Whereas for many families a home is not merely shelter, but also provides an 
        opportunity for growth, prosperity, and security;
Whereas homeownership is a cornerstone of the national economy because it spurs 
        the production and sale of goods and services, generates new jobs, 
        encourages savings and investment, promotes economic and civic 
        responsibility, and enhances the financial security of all people in the 
        United States;
Whereas although the United States is the first nation in the world to make 
        owning a home a reality for a vast majority of its families, \1/3\ of 
        the families in the United States are not homeowners;
Whereas a disproportionate percentage of families in the United States that are 
        not homeowners are low-income families;
Whereas the community building activities of neighborhood-based nonprofit 
        organizations empower individuals to improve their lives and make 
        communities safer and healthier for families;
Whereas one of the best known nonprofit housing organizations is Habitat for 
        Humanity, which builds simple but adequate housing for less fortunate 
        families and symbolizes the self-help approach to homeownership;
Whereas Habitat for Humanity is organized in all 50 States with 1544 local 
        affiliates and its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporate status and locally 
        elected completely voluntary board of directors;
Whereas Habitat for Humanity will build its 100,000th house worldwide in 
        September 2000 and endeavors to complete another 100,000 homes during 
        the next 5 years;
Whereas Habitat for Humanity provides opportunities for people from every 
        segment of society to volunteer to help make the American dream a 
        reality for families who otherwise would not own a home; and
Whereas the first week of June 2000 has been designated as ``National 
        Homeownership Week'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) everyone in the United States should have a decent home 
        in which to live;
            (2) the Members of the Senate should demonstrate the 
        importance of volunteerism;
            (3) during the year between National Homeownership Week 
        2000 and National Homeownership Week 2001, the Members of the 
        Senate, Habitat for Humanity, and contributing organizations, 
        should sponsor and construct 2 homes in the District of 
        Columbia each of which should be known as a ``House That the 
        Senate Built'';
            (4) each ``House That the Senate Built'' should be 
        constructed primarily by Members of the Senate, their families 
        and staffs, and the staffs of sponsoring organizations working 
        with local volunteers involving and symbolizing the partnership 
        of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors of society;
            (5) each ``House That the Senate Built'' should be 
        constructed with the participation of the family that will own 
        the home;
            (6) in the future, the Members of the Senate and their 
        families and staff should participate in similar house building 
        activities in their own States as part of National 
        Homeownership Week; and
            (7) these occasions should be used to emphasize and focus 
        on the importance of providing decent homes for all of the 
        people in the United States.
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