[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 20, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H2941-H2946]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENSE OF THE HOUSE THAT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN 
AND SUPPORT ACTIVITIES TO PROVIDE DECENT HOMES FOR PEOPLE OF THE UNITED 
                                 STATES

  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 147) expressing the sense of the House 
of Representatives that the House of Representatives should participate 
in and support activities to provide decent homes for the people of the 
United States, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 147

       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 such housing can be provided in tradional and 
     nontraditional forms, including apartment buildings, 
     transitional and temporary homes, condominiums, co-
     operatives, 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 the United States is the first country in the world 
     to make owning a home a reality for a vast majority of its 
     families; however, more than one-third of the families in the 
     United States are not homeowners;
       Whereas a disproportionate percentage of non-homeowning 
     families in the United States are low-income families;
       Whereas the National Partners in Homeownership, a public-
     private partnership comprised of 63 national organizations 
     under the leadership of the Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development, has established a goal of reaching an all-time 
     high homeownership level in the United States by the end 
     of the 20th century;
       Whereas there are many other nonprofit and for-profit 
     organizations that, in partnership with the Federal 
     Government and local governments, strive to make the American 
     dream of homeownership a reality for low-income families;
       Whereas national organizations such as the Fannie Mae 
     Foundation, Freddie Mac, the Local Initiatives Support 
     Corporation, the Enterprise Foundation, the Housing 
     Assistance Council, and the Neighborhood Reinvestment 
     Corporation, in conjunction with local organizations, have 
     developed thousands of homes each year for low-income 
     families and have, in the process, reduced urban decay and 
     blight and fostered business activity;
       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 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 second week of June 1997 is National 
     Homeownership Week: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (1) it is a goal of our Nation that all citizens have safe, 
     clean, and healthy housing;
       (2) the Members of the House of Representatives should 
     demonstrate the importance of volunteerism and community 
     service;
       (3) the Members of the House of Representatives and Habitat 
     for Humanity, with support from the National Partners in 
     Homeownership, should sponsor and construct, commencing on 
     June 5, 1997, two homes in the Anacostia neighborhood of the 
     District of Columbia, each to be known as a ``House That 
     Congress Built'';
       (4) each ``House That Congress Built'' should be 
     constructed primarily by Members of the House of 
     Representatives and their families and staffs, involving and 
     symbolizing the partnership of the public, private, and 
     nonprofit sectors of society;
       (5) each ``House That Congress Built'' should be 
     constructed with the participation of the family that will 
     own the home;
       (6) upon completion and initial occupancy of the homes in 
     the fall of 1997, the Members of the House of 
     Representatives, their families and staffs, and local and 
     national leaders from the public and private nonprofit 
     sectors of society should participate, together with each 
     family that will own a ``House That Congress Built'', in an 
     event to celebrate the occasion;
       (7) in the future, the Members of the House of 
     Representatives and their families and staff should 
     participate in similar house building activities of Habitat 
     for Humanity in their own districts as part of National 
     Homeownership Week; and
       (8) these occasions should be used to emphasize and focus 
     on the importance of providing safe, clean, and healthy homes 
     for all of the people in the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. Lazio] and the gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake] each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York [Mr. Lazio].
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, let me begin by congratulating and thanking my colleague 
and friend, the gentleman from California [Mr. Lewis], for this concept 
and for his introduction of this legislation.
  I also want to thank the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Stokes, the 
gentleman from Missouri, Mr. Gephardt, the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. 
Gingrich, the Speaker of the House, the gentleman from New York, Mr. 
Flake, and certainly the gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr. Kennedy, and 
the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia, Ms. Eleanor Holmes 
Norton, for their cooperation and collaboration to celebrate what I 
think is one of the more outstanding programs that we have in America, 
the creation of a synergy where people in the public sector and the 
community itself, businesses and the private sector, and the not-for-
profit sector which have come together to contribute their time and 
resources and effort to give to their fellow neighbor one of the 
greatest gifts that one

[[Page H2942]]

can imagine, and that is receiving the gift of home ownership, of 
obtaining the American dream.

                              {time}  1330

  This is through the Habitat for Humanity Program. We are about to 
begin a celebration in June, the second week in June, of self-help 
housing programs and in particular the Habitat Program.
  This model builds upon an act that took place last year, where, for 
the first time, Congress acted to contribute about $25 million to 
ensure that thousands of Americans would be able to live the dream of 
homeownership through the Habitat Program.
  I am looking forward to having my colleague from California, [Mr. 
Lewis], explain in further detail what as a group we are going to do in 
a bipartisan way to help rebuild two homes in the Anacostia area.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to relate to the House that the gentleman 
from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] has been delayed because of air 
travel, and therefore I stand on his behalf, am happy to stand and 
speak on behalf of House Resolution 147, which is supported by Members 
from both sides of the aisle.
  The resolution both recognizes the need to increase homeownership 
throughout the Nation and expresses the House's commitment to the 
building of two homes with the Habitat for Humanity here in Washington 
on June 5. I think Habitat for Humanity has demonstrated excellence in 
its ability to garner support from numbers of people in numbers of 
trades who have come together to volunteer their time and have 
demonstrated the means by which we might resolve some of the issues 
related to housing in this Nation.
  This undertaking today is due to the leadership of the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Lewis], whose creativity and commitment to affordable 
housing will unite the membership of this House with housing 
organizations like Habitat for Humanity in making homeownership a 
reality for the two families here in this Nation's Capital and, 
hopefully, will represent what can be done by sweat and by the equity 
of persons who are willing to invest of themselves to help to build 
homeownership in this Nation.
  I appreciate the efforts of the chairman, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Lewis], and share in his commitment to improving 
housing conditions for all of the families in this Nation. It is my 
hope that we can work together in taking this effort well beyond the 
boundaries of Washington, DC and make them available to so many other 
people in this Nation.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from California [Mr. Lewis].
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate my 
colleague yielding. I want to express my deep appreciation to my 
colleague, the gentleman from Ohio, [Mr. Stokes], who has worked with 
me on this issue, and my colleague, the gentlewoman from Washington, 
DC, [Ms. Norton], my local Member of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday Ms. Norton and I came to this floor to 
speak to a very important need facing the citizens of the District of 
Columbia and indeed the entire Nation. The need is simple: Decent, 
affordable homes for the working families of the United States.
  The gentlewoman from Washington, DC, [Ms. Norton], Speaker of the 
House Newt Gingrich, the gentleman from Missouri, the House minority 
leader, [Mr. Gephardt], the gentleman from Ohio, [Mr. Stokes], the 
gentleman from New York, [Mr. Lazio], and the gentleman from 
Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] joined me in introducing this bipartisan 
legislation expressing the sense of the House that Members of Congress 
can do more than just talk about providing homes for our citizens and 
neighbors. Indeed, it is time for action.
  On that very same day, the Speaker, Ms. Norton, Mr. Stokes, the 
founder and president of Habitat for Humanity, Millard Fuller, and two 
very special families gathered together to celebrate an important 
milestone in the history of the Congress and the District of Columbia. 
These bipartisan leaders gathered to announce ``The House that Congress 
Built,'' a unique partnership involving Congress, HUD Secretary Andrew 
Cuomo, leaders of the National Partners in Homeownership, and others.
  On June 5, these leaders will begin construction of two Habitat for 
Humanity homes in Southeast Washington, DC. ``The House that Congress 
Built'' is a powerful symbol demonstrating the commitment of a 
bipartisan Congress and numerous organizations toward one common goal, 
providing a decent and affordable home for every American family. It is 
also an appropriate way to kick off National Homeownership Week, the 
week of June 7 through 14, a campaign to emphasize local and national 
efforts to make the American dream a reality.
  This unique effort is supported by the National Partners in 
Homeownership, an unprecedented public-private partnership working to 
dramatically increase homeownership in America. Presently, this 
membership consists of 63 members representing real estate 
professionals, home builders, nonprofit housing providers, as well as 
local, State, and Federal levels of government.
  The goal of this partnership is to achieve an all-time high rate of 
homeownership, 67 percent of all American households, by the end of 
year 2000. There is still very much work to be done. This effort is 
only possible because of the inspiring work of Millard Fuller, the 
founder and president of Habitat for Humanity International, who has 
built a worldwide Christian housing ministry over a period of 20 years.
  Since its creation in 1976, Habitat for Humanity and its volunteers 
have built homes with 50,000 families in need in more than 1,300 cities 
and 50 countries. As a result of Fuller's vision, more than 250,000 
people across the globe now have safe, decent, affordable homes.
  In Philadelphia recently, President Clinton, President Bush, retired 
Gen. Colin Powell and others gathered to salute the spirit of volunteer 
service that exists in this country. No other organization better 
illustrates this spirit than Habitat for Humanity. Habitat is an 
organization that brings people together. Its volunteers are as diverse 
as the people who live in these United States.
  Most importantly, Habitat for Humanity promotes what Millard Fuller 
describes as the theology of the hammer, namely, putting faith and love 
into action to serve others. In this case, the theology of the hammer 
is being applied to assist two very special soon-to-be homeowners, 
Marlene Hunter and her family and Mary Collins and her family. Even 
before the first nail has been driven, Members of Congress, corporate 
sponsors and these families have made a commitment that will be 
fulfilled as these two homes are built this summer entirely by Members 
of Congress and their staff.
  Let me assure my colleagues that this is only just the beginning. 
Next year we hope to continue this bipartisan effort by having every 
Member of the Congress make a commitment to build a Habitat home in his 
or her own congressional district. That is a commitment that will 
provide a home for 435 working families. Imagine an additional 435 
first-time home buyers because of the hands-on work of every Member of 
this body. It is a first step, but an important beginning, nonetheless.
  I want to thank my colleagues, Speaker Newt Gingrich, Minority Leader 
Dick Gephardt, the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia, Ms. 
Eleanor Holmes Norton, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lou Stokes, the 
gentleman from New York, Mr. Rick Lazio, and the gentleman from 
Massachusetts, Mr. Joe Kennedy, for their commitment to this unique 
effort and for joining me in passing this bipartisan resolution
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, there is a popular song by R. Kelly that 
says, ``I believe I can fly.''
  The gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy] has flown and arrived, 
so I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, as the good Congressman, 
the gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake],

[[Page H2943]]

who would rather be known as a reverend, understands, only he is 
capable of flying through this Chamber.
  But I do want to, first of all, commend my good friend, the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Lewis]) for the fine work that he has done on this 
bill. My colleague has been very, very, I think, diligent not only in 
his efforts to try and I hope continue funding for all housing 
programs, which is going to be a major issue in the course of the next 
few months, but also has been a strong advocate of volunteerism.
  I think Habitat is one of these unique programs that comes along that 
blends both the needs for housing for the very poor people of this 
country that so desperately need shelter and mixing that with the 
spirit of volunteerism. I think the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Lewis] ought to be commended by everyone in this Chamber and people 
around the country for his efforts on behalf of Habitat for Humanity.
  I also want to thank my good friend, the gentleman from New York [Mr. 
Lazio] and the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Leach], who had both sponsored 
some legislation last year in the Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity which was controversial because of the nature of some of 
the funding supports for Habitat and, specifically, that was going to 
one congressional district down in Georgia.
  But, in any event, the truth is that regardless of their efforts to 
target that funding to that particular congressional district that 
happened to be in the Speaker's domain, the truth is that we want to 
make certain that everybody understands the tremendous support that I 
think exists around this country for Habitat and the recognition of the 
fine work that it does in many communities in many States throughout 
the country.
  I just want to briefly say that the work of Habitat is a wonderful 
and unique organization. The gentleman from California [Mr. Lewis] has 
sponsored an initiative to get many of us in the Government to go and 
work on an initiative, I believe it is June 5, that I am looking 
forward to. I am hoping I do not bang too many fingers when I try to 
hit a nail.
  The fundamental truth is that there are a number of different 
organizations around the country that blend together a sense of 
volunteerism with building homes for people in need. Habitat is one of 
the finest of that series of organizations, and I am delighted to see 
that we are supporting them in the fashion that we are here today. I 
again want to commend the gentleman from California [Mr. Lewis].
  I do want to suggest that, in terms of the overall housing needs of 
our country, that I am very concerned that the budget that we are going 
to be voting on in a few hours here on the House floor is not going to 
be providing enough funding for the housing needs of our country's 
poor.
  We have already seen a vast reduction in the amount of funding that 
we spend on homeless Americans. We see even greater reductions in terms 
of the funding levels for everything from assisted housing to the 
public housing concerns of our country. And while efforts have been 
made to reform those needs, the truth of the matter is that if you are 
going to cut 25 or 30 percent of the funding levels, you can reform it 
all you want but you still are not going to be providing enough housing 
for the poor and the vulnerable people of our country.
  So when the American people here that look on our city streets or in 
their neighborhoods and see homeless Americans, we cannot provide 
solutions to our housing problems by simply walking around pointing to 
antiquated public housing and saying, ``Look at this great, terrible 
monstrosity,'' and our answer to the problems with public housing is to 
simply cut the budget.
  This is not going to solve our housing needs. That is the solution 
that has been advocated. I am here today to salute those that want to 
support housing and support Habitat for Humanity's efforts to deal with 
the housing shortage that exists in this country.
  Mr. Speaker, after spending 7 days on the House floor debating H.R. 
2, the veto-bait bill which makes draconian reforms to our Nation's 
public and assisted housing programs, it gives me great pleasure to 
support this bipartisan resolution. Not only does the resolution 
acknowledge the need to increase home ownership throughout this Nation, 
it also expresses this body's resolve to assist two families in 
achieving home ownership. Our assistance does not entail the creation 
of a new program or the appropriation of new funds, instead it merely 
requires our time and energy and a little physical coordination. As 
outlined in the resolution, on June 5, myself and several other Members 
will leave our suits at home in exchange for hardhats and nail guns to 
join Habitat for Humanity and other dedicated housing organizations in 
building the first ``House that Congress Built.'' Throughout that 
weekend, it is our intent to put two Washington families into two 
different homes.
  While this effort will be an unprecedented achievement, I must say--
it is not enough. There are numerous families in each of our 
congressional districts that could use equivalent assistance in 
achieving home ownership. And Habitat for Humanity cannot do it all 
alone. So it is our hope that Members will bring the ``House that 
Congress Built'' to their congressional districts in the future. Not 
only to bring the dream of home ownership to a fortunate family, but 
also to bring to the public's consciousness the benefits of providing 
affordable housing to all families--rich or poor.
  There are 5.3 million families--just like the two families we are 
placing in these two homes--who live in severe conditions. And even if 
Members of the House built two homes every weekend for the rest of my 
life, we still would not meet those families needs. We must do more.
  With that said, I look forward to working with the cosponsors of this 
legislation--Speaker Gingrich, Minority Leader Gephardt, Chairman 
Lewis, Ranking Member Stokes, and Chairman Lazio--on June 5, and also 
in the future as we work toward bringing home ownership to more and 
more families in America.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, again this is about the creation of a partnership with 
Members of Congress in the community of Washington, DC.
  Many Members of Congress live in the District. I am one of those who, 
when I am down here on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, is a proud 
resident of the District of Columbia. It is appropriate that we give 
back not just in terms of our service in Congress but as part of the 
community.
  The Habitat Program and other self-help housing groups across the 
country are gems in terms of their ability to bring people together and 
to build a better sense of community. For those people who are not 
familiar with the work that Habitat does, over 1,400 affiliates across 
the entire Nation, it is a program that brings neighbors together to 
help build a home for another neighbor who does not have the resources 
to construct a home themselves. We have business people donate doors 
and windows.
  In last year's legislation, the Federal Government has begun to 
provide some small amount of funding that would help with those areas 
that are not easily donated, for example, roads and sewers and 
infrastructure costs that will help thousands of Americans obtain the 
dream of home ownership in the best of ways by bringing your neighbors 
together, their community together.
  I just had the pleasure of being at a Habitat construction site in my 
own home district in Bayshore, where members of the public sector and 
businesses and the community leaders were all there swinging hammers, 
using saws, hauling around lumber, men and women of all ages feeling 
very good about the fact that they were giving to another neighbor.

                              {time}  1345

  It is one of the greatest gifts, as I said before, that a neighbor 
can give to another neighbor. We ought to feel very, very good about 
the fact that we have a program here where Members of Congress are 
going to be joining in to celebrate sort of self-help week in housing 
in June and that it will result in bringing to two families in the 
District that great feeling of pride of living under one's own roof in 
home ownership in one of the areas in which we have unfortunately been 
witnessing a decline in home ownership in the Anacostia area.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio 
[Mr. Stokes], the ranking member of the Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and 
Independent Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations.
  Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from New 
York for yielding me this time, and I rise to commend the gentleman 
from

[[Page H2944]]

Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy], the gentleman from New York [Mr. Lazio], 
and the gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake] for bringing House 
Resolution 147 to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill, it is one that I can support, and I 
am very pleased to be able to join with my distinguished friend from 
California [Mr. Lewis], the author of this legislation. I really want 
to commend him because he and I work together very closely on the 
Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies of the Committee on 
Appropriations. I know his interest in providing decent housing in a 
suitable living environment for every American. This bill manifests 
that type of interest and concern he has in that respect.
  In fact, I would like to just call the attention of the House to the 
fact that a few days ago, I was privileged to attend a press conference 
conducted by the gentleman from California where the gentleman from 
Georgia [Mr. Gingrich], the Speaker of the House, spoke and the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Lewis] spoke and both the gentlewoman 
from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton] and myself were in 
attendance. Along with the Habitat for Humanity organizational people 
were two families here who reside in the District of Columbia for whom 
these homes are going to be built. They were two lovely families, very 
decent people, and if my colleagues could have seen the expressions on 
their faces and the joy in their faces at the knowledge that Members of 
Congress cared enough about them that they were going to come out and 
actually build a home for them. They even put up with our taunting one 
another about the fact that we lacked the ability to build a house, but 
we were determined that we were going to come out and do our best to 
build this home for them.
  When I mention Habitat for Humanity, I do not know of any 
organization in America that does more to try and provide simple but 
adequate housing for the less fortunate in this country. Their approach 
is to build an attitude of self-help in these people, provide housing 
for them in safe communities, in safe neighborhoods. They have done 
such an outstanding job all over the country. In my own city, in the 
city of Cleveland, I have seen the results of the housing that they 
have built for people who are less fortunate in the community which I 
represent here in the Congress.
  I am reminded at this time, too, that for many, many years, a former 
President, President Jimmy Carter, has been a man who has gone all over 
the country for Habitat for Humanity and helped to build houses. I just 
think at a time like this, I want to recognize his great contribution.
  I think the beauty of this particular legislation is the fact that it 
has been so bipartisan. Members on both sides of the aisle have taken 
great pride in joining together with the realization that, working 
together, we can do something very special for the people of this 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, what I would really like to say, I think, is that while 
we are looking forward to joining with the gentleman from California 
[Mr. Lewis] in this effort to build these two homes for these people 
here in the District, I think that we ought to really look at this as 
not one shot. Each Member ought to be thinking of how we can expand 
this effort that we are going to participate in here in the District of 
Columbia all across the country. I think that ought to be the real 
purpose of this legislation, for us to carry forth the whereas clauses 
throughout this resolution in which we speak of a decent home and a 
decent neighborhood for every American. I think the way to do that is 
to not just build it here in the District of Columbia but to help do 
that all over America.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. STOKES. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. I appreciate the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Stokes] yielding.
  It occurred to me earlier that it is no accident that the very day 
that we will go out in a bipartisan manner together attempting to make 
a difference in the lives of these two families here in Washington, DC, 
that Mother Teresa will be receiving a gold medal on behalf of the 
Congress. To say the least, the confluence of people serving people 
that both those activities reflect is very much a part of the spirit 
that I have found and brought back from Hershey, PA, where as the 
gentleman remembers when we were there together, there were 220 
Members, Democrats and Republicans, who committed themselves to a new 
kind of dialogue in the House, moving away from this confrontation for 
the sake of confrontation. Indeed if this resolution ends up being a 
reflection of continuing that spirit, then all the better. I want my 
colleague to know I very much appreciate his assistance and his 
friendship.
  Mr. STOKES. I appreciate the gentleman's remarks.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Leach], the distinguished 
chairman of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services.
  Mr. LEACH. I thank the distinguished gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I would just like to stress that this is a bill made for 
commendation. The leadership of the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Lewis], the gentleman from New York [Mr. Lazio], the gentlewoman from 
the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton], the gentleman from New York [Mr. 
Flake], the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Stokes], the gentleman from 
Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy], and, of course, President Carter has been 
very significant.
  Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful program. It is not a substitute 
for all public programs. This side understands that very well. In fact, 
with all the rancor of the debate the last 3 or 4 weeks in housing 
programs, it should be stressed that this House last week passed 100 
percent of the President's recommended budget for public housing.
  Indeed, in the budget agreement, fully one-half of the new nondefense 
discretionary funding will go for housing programs, about $35 billion 
out of $70 billion over the next 5 years. This Congress has committed 
this year and in subsequent years in effect to increase support for 
public housing. This should be very well understood.
  Just because the issue was raised, I would stress that the bill last 
year that was critiqued a minute ago by one of the speakers had been 
endorsed by Secretary Cisneros and pushed strongly by President Carter. 
I am sorry that there was apprehension on the other side about prior 
Habitat programs. But the main point I would like to make is not to 
defend public housing programs, which have many problems and also 
important opportunities, but today to emphasize certain private sector 
efforts. Most, it should be stressed, are not extended by political 
figures but by committed people in many communities around the country, 
at the community level. Here, though, I think it is important that we 
also express our thanks to institutions that we have respect for in the 
private sector, particularly in this case Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the 
National Reinvestment Corporation, and the National Association of 
Homebuilders for their support.
  In any regard, I think this is a time for thanks to be extended on 
all sides and to set a sense of perspective that this is a program that 
is very important, that is very symbolic. It does not replace other 
kinds of programs but is certainly a wonderful additional complement to 
them.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton], the district in 
which the homes are to be built.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I very much thank the gentleman for yielding 
me this time.
  As a recipient of the largesse of this resolution, I come to the 
floor this afternoon to thank especially the gentleman from California 
[Mr. Lewis], the gentleman from New York [Mr. Lazio], the gentleman 
from Massachusetts [Mr. Kennedy], the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Stokes], 
the gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake], the Speaker and the minority 
leader for their initiative on this wonderful idea.
  I have very special thanks to give to the gentleman from California 
[Mr. Lewis], however, for it is not only a wonderful idea, it was his 
bright idea, and I think it a bright idea not only, may I say, because 
my district will be the first recipient of this generosity of

[[Page H2945]]

Members but because in a very real sense, the spirit of Hershey, of 
which he spoke so eloquently, may have found its best mode of 
expression. We have every right to ask, what in the world is the spirit 
of Hershey? How can one make the good feelings of that weekend live and 
last? It is very difficult to do. We do not often meet like that. We 
cannot meet like that very often. But we will be meeting like that on 
June 5. We will be meeting like that, making Hershey live in a way that 
I think we all have been searching for.
  Partisanship is natural to the process of the House of 
Representatives and necessary to the process here. We represent 
different districts and different points of view. We come together as 
we do on many bills. But the fact is that bipartisanship on some issues 
is an absolute necessity.
  Surely if there is to be bipartisanship on any issue, it is the 
future of the capital of the United States. To be sure, this Congress 
holds the capital in its hands because of its unique constitutional 
responsibility and because it has to vote for a small amount for the 
capital every year. But when the House builds its own house in the 
District, it reaches out to the people I represent in a way that is 
especially appreciated. The gentleman from California [Mr. Lewis] has 
said this will be the house that Congress built. It will certainly be 
the house that the House built. It will be remembered that way, and it 
will be built in the Anacostia community, named for the river my 
colleagues have to cross to reach there, named for the place where many 
of the poorest Washingtonians live.
  Those who will receive the generosity of the House during this 
initiative were there when it was announced by the Speaker. The HUD 
Secretary is on board, both sides of the aisle are on board and, of 
course, we are doing it through Habitat for Humanity which has done 
many good works in the District and which, of course, is the natural 
leader of this work here in the District.
  May I thank the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Manzullo] who had spent 
numerous hours trying to find an appropriate project. We had found one 
and then we tossed that one out and another one was tossed out, and 
here comes the gentleman from California [Mr. Lewis] with just the 
right project. The gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Manzullo, and the 
gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson, who had been working 
together after Hershey will be working on this project as well.
  This project has a larger goal: that by the year 2000, fully two-
thirds of the American people will own their own home. We have done 
wonderfully in this country since World War II in encouraging and in 
achieving home ownership by Americans. What this project metaphorically 
says is that we are in this for everybody.
  To show that we are in it for everybody, we are building a house for 
the poorest Americans and we are going to carry this concept 
everywhere. We are going to ask Members to take the concept back to 
their own districts. My colleagues will find that the Habitat habit is 
catching. When they see that colleagues are helping to build a house in 
their district, they are going to say, ``Me, too,'' to the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. Lazio], they are going to say to the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Lewis], ``We want one here. We want Habitat to come 
here and do what you did in the District of Columbia.''
  My colleagues are going to start something in the District and it is 
going to spread. It is going to spread its good feeling, it is going to 
spread to the housing industry, and it is going to help make affordable 
housing something other than an oxymoron. Thanks for helping in the 
District. Make sure that it is your district next.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. NORTON. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the 
gentlewoman yielding.
  I just wanted to rise and say to the gentlewoman from the District of 
Columbia [Ms. Norton], I very much appreciate the collegiality and the 
friendship she has extended to me. The symbolism that is the house that 
Congress built is just beginning. I think the gentlewoman already knows 
that any number of private partners have begun to contribute not just 
material but funds as well to make sure that the dollars are available 
to complete this facility. The gentlewoman has mentioned that this will 
go on from here.

                              {time}  1400

  Indeed I know that the gentlewoman and I will be working together in 
the year before us to encourage Members not just along with their 
staffs to complete these two homes in Washington, DC, but then, just 
think, next year as Members start looking to their district and working 
with Habitat and talking about the wonderful theology of the hammer and 
the effect that it can have upon this place. I have for some time now 
been most disconcerted by reactions in my own district where people are 
saying:
  ``Why don't you people ever work together? Why this partisanship 
almost for the sake of it?''
  And indeed the gentlewoman and I have talked a lot about that. There 
is little doubt that this is a turning point in the Congress, and being 
able to work with the gentlewoman is a great privilege for me, and I 
appreciate her collegiality and friendship, and I thank her for her 
help.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Lewis] not only for his kind words here this afternoon, but for this 
effort, this idea that so many have embraced and, may I say, for the 
collegiality and generosity he has shown the District of Columbia ever 
since I have been in the Congress.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Let me just say in conclusion that I am very proud to cosponsor this 
resolution drafted by my friend and colleague, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Lewis]. The House That Congress Built; what a wonderful 
name for legislation that will begin a process of having Members of 
Congress work with neighbors to help to build homes in the District.
  I would also say that it ought not to stop here. We ought to be 
looking for new ways in which we can build on this community service, 
build on partnerships, build on helping one another, ensuring that 
people achieve the dream of home ownership, perhaps one of the greatest 
of American dreams, and restoring the sense of neighborhood that so 
many communities are lacking. The best way to do that is for us to 
pitch in and begin the process of creating the type of neighborhood 
partnership, the sense of being in it together, of a sense of helping 
those that need a helping hand, and this event, these two events of 
building these two homes in the District and Anacostia, are a very 
substantial step, although more than symbolism, a very substantial step 
in showing that this Congress cares about the self-help housing program 
and that we intend to use resources where we can find them to help 
augment a very important program, the Habitat for Humanity Program, and 
other self-help housing programs throughout the country so that other 
communities and neighborhoods throughout our great Nation can enjoy the 
fruits of this program, and the greatest fruit, in my opinion, is not 
the fact that we are constructing a home and enabling a family to have 
a roof over their head that they can own. The greatest pleasure of it 
all is that we bring neighbors together to do for another neighbor what 
they might not be able to do themselves.
  So it is a high point certainly for us to be discussing this and then 
to be acting upon this on June 5, and I congratulate my friends on both 
sides of the aisle for their part in all this, and I urge passage.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, perhaps many who wonder what the big deal is about, 
Members of Congress and Habitat joining together to build two homes in 
the District of Columbia; I think all of us realize that there is a 
critical housing shortage in America, and those of us who are not only 
Members of the Congress, but persons like myself who does housing 
development, particularly in low- and moderate-income communities, we 
realize that this is an important step. I do not think anyone has

[[Page H2946]]

done as much as President Jimmy Carter in terms of lifting the concerns 
of homelessness in the way that he has done since he left the White 
House to a level whereby we all know that it is a critical problem and 
that we can make a difference, and we make that difference not only by 
asking for Government dollars to rebuild communities, but make that 
difference by making the kind of individual investments of time, 
energy, resources to try to make this a better country for all of us to 
live in.
  There is also another thing I think we ought to be concerned about, 
and that is, in addition to building housing, how to build the 
necessary support services. As my colleagues know, in many communities 
many of the commercial strips are devastated, people do not have access 
to basic services because they have been left behind, communities have 
not been invested in, in many instances between insurance companies and 
banks. There has been a redlining process that has negated the 
possibility of these communities being as strong as they could be.
  So it is my hope that what we do today sends the message that not 
only will we be building houses, we will be rebuilding commercial 
strips, and of course all of this means that we will rebuild the lives 
of people, rebuild the quality of life for all Americans, and in so 
doing I think this Congress will make the greatest of all statements.
  I would like to thank all of those who have participated in helping 
to bring this piece of legislation to the floor and all of those who 
will participate not only in assuring that these two people will have 
homes, but also that all of America will be housed.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to acknowledge finally two great Americans 
that have had outstanding contributions to the Habitat Program besides, 
of course, Millard Fuller, who is the president of Habitat and the 
hundreds and thousands, actually, of leaders involved in the affiliates 
throughout the country; our President Jimmy Carter, who has contributed 
so much of his time to provide a role model, and his involvement in the 
Habitat Program is well known throughout the country and is respected 
by both sides of the aisle, and the Speaker of the House, Newt 
Gingrich, for without his leadership last year we certainly would not 
be able to move out of our committee and onto the floor for passage and 
finally for signature on the President's desk the first major public 
partnership between the Federal Government and Habitat for Humanity 
that will bring that dream of home ownership to thousands of Americans.
  So my hat is off to two great Americans, President Jimmy Carter and 
Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich for their bipartisan support for a 
wonderful program, the Habitat for Humanity Program.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Lazio] that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 147, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof)----
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________