[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 148 (Thursday, September 21, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE REPUBLICANS' IGNORANCE-IS-BLISS WAY OF MAKING DECISIONS ON HOUSING 
                                PROGRAMS

  (Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, the House Committee on Banking and 
Financial Services cut $2.4 billion in banking and housing services for 
poor and moderate-income Americans. These draconian cuts eliminated the 
RTC and FDIC affordable housing programs, the FHA Mortgage Assignment 
Program, the Multifamily Property Disposition System, and neutralized 
the Community Redevelopment Agency, among others.
  Mr. Speaker, these cuts were not based on facts and insights from 
expert testimony or those impacted by those decisions. Why? Because not 
one public hearing was held regarding these programs.
  During the bill's markup, Mr. Speaker, Republicans and Democrats 
asked questions that could not be answered, forcing members to make 
decisions on communities and their housing needs with little 
understanding of their impact. With these cuts, Mr. Speaker, far too 
many will suffer before we all realize the painful consequences of the 
committee's actions.
  It is tragic Republicans have applied the same ignorance-is-bliss in 
determining key policy issues for America.

                          ____________________