[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 8, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2684, DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS 
  AFFAIRS AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000

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                               speech of

                        HON. MICHAEL E. CAPUANO

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 5, 1999

  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Rule for 
the VA-HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations bill. This bill 
makes significant cuts in critical housing initiatives and will have a 
devastating effect on basic scientific research in this country.
  This legislation is a string of broken promises--promises to provide 
for those who need a place to live, promises to invest in research and 
development, and promises to provide quality health care for our 
veterans. The bill reported by the Appropriations Committee cuts 
funding for housing programs, cuts funding for basic research and NASA, 
and does not provide adequate funding for Veterans' health care.
  Last year, Congress authorized 100,000 new Section 8 rental vouchers 
to help families with worst-case housing needs, people who pay more 
than half their income in rent every month. This bill provides no new 
funding for this voucher program, denying 100,000 Americans affordable 
housing opportunities.
  The bill cuts $250 million in funding from the Community Development 
Block Grant program. Cities and towns across America will be unable to 
use these funds to create new jobs, invest in new housing 
opportunities, and revitalize neighborhoods. In addition, the Committee 
cut $20 million from the HOME investment partnership program, $10 
million of which is targeted at providing counseling services to first-
time homebuyers.
  The Committee also cuts funding for the most vulnerable Americans--
the homeless. It is estimated that more than 600,000 people are living 
in shelters and on the streets of this country. Many are families, 
children, veterans, and victims of domestic violence. Despite the 
overwhelming need for more shelter beds and supportive services for the 
homeless, this bill cuts additional funding from the Homeless 
Assistance grant program.
  Mr. Speaker, taking care of Veterans who bravely served our country 
should be one of Congress's top priorities. After reviewing this 
legislation, it is quite clear that Republicans do not believe this to 
be true. While this bill provides an addition $1.7 billion for Veterans 
Medical Health Care, it falls far short of the $3 billion increase 
necessary to ensure our nation's veterans with adequate healthcare. 
Without this additional funding, Veteran Health Care centers across the 
country will be forced to make even greater cuts in existing programs 
and will be prohibited from implementing additional programs.
  NASA and NSF have also taken a huge hit in this bill. By cutting $1 
billion from the NASA program and $275 million from NSF, the science 
community has been dealt a serious blow. It is tragic that a country 
which prides itself on being number one in space exploration and the 
technological advances will suffer the devastating effects of these 
short-sighted cuts for years, and possibly decades to come.
  The $1 billion decrease to the NASA budget is the largest cut since 
the end of the Apollo program! Several programs have been severely 
reduced or zeroed out, which virtually guarantees their termination. 
This bill cancels funding for the Space Infrared Telescope Facility, 
and decreases funding for the Explorer program, Discovery program, and 
Mars missions support funding for research and technology for space 
science. At the same time, there are $122 million in non-requested 
earmarks within the bill. Existence of these earmarks worsens the 
impact of reductions to higher priority programs.
  By limiting funds, NASA will be forced to make drastic administrative 
cuts in ten of its centers and will be forced to close at least two 
centers. No doubt this will translate into several employees being laid 
off. By decreasing NASA funds, we will ensure the delay in development 
of the Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) which will subsequently setback the 
timetable when crew can board the ISS.
  Mr. Speaker, to make a long story short, this is a bad bill. It's bad 
for science; it's bad for Veterans; it's bad for working class 
families; it's bad for middle class families; and it's bad for seniors. 
I strongly urge my colleagues to defeat the rule and oppose this bill 
in its current form.

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