[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 43 Referred in House (RFH)]

  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 43


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 2, 2003

            Referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


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

Whereas the United States promotes and encourages the creation and 
        revitalization of sustainable and strong neighborhoods in partnership 
        with States, cities, and local communities;
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 74.2 percent of Caucasian Americans own their own homes, only 47.1 
        percent of African Americans, 47.2 percent of Hispanic Americans, and 
        55.8 percent of Asian Americans and other races are homeowners;
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 1,655 local 
        affiliates and its own section 501(c)(3) Federal tax-exempt status and 
        locally elected completely voluntary board of directors;
Whereas Habitat for Humanity has built nearly 150,000 houses worldwide and 
        endeavors to complete another 50,000 homes by the year 2005;
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 month of June has been designated as ``National Homeownership 
        Month'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) everyone in the United States should have a decent home 
        in which to live;
            (2) Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
        should demonstrate the importance of volunteerism;
            (3) during the years of the 108th and 109th sessions of 
        Congress, Members of the Senate and the House of 
        Representatives, Habitat for Humanity, and contributing 
        organizations, should sponsor and construct 2 homes in the 
        Washington, D.C., metro area each as part of the ``Congress 
        Building America'' program;
            (4) each Congress Building America house should be 
        constructed primarily by Members of the Senate and the House of 
        Representatives, 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 Congress Building America house should be 
        constructed with the participation of the family that will own 
        the home;
            (6) in the future, Members of the Senate and the House of 
        Representatives, their families, and their staff should 
        participate in similar house building activities in their own 
        States as part of National Homeownership Month; 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.

            Passed the Senate May 23, 2003.

            Attest:

                                             EMILY J. REYNOLDS,

                                                             Secretary.