[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 16, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          H.R. 2 ABANDONS COMMITMENT TO HOUSING THE VERY POOR

  (Ms. VELAZQUEZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, this week the Speaker of the House 
announced that he wants to give a $300 billion tax cut to the 
wealthiest people in this country. This is a disgrace. But the story 
gets worse, much worse. Today Republicans are going to try to pay for 
those tax breaks by taking money from poor people in public housing.
  Today in the Committee on Banking and Financial Services we will 
debate H.R. 2, a bill that abandons our Government's commitment to 
housing the very poor. Under H.R. 2 many poor families will end up 
spending more of their income on housing or be forced into 
homelessness. Meanwhile, people making over $350,000 a year will get a 
tax break.
  Mr. Speaker, is this what the Republicans stand for: Giving tax 
breaks to the rich while throwing poor children onto the street? H.R. 2 
is extremely unfair and must be stopped.

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