[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 71 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S4930]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PARTICIPATION IN AND SUPPORT OF ACTIVITIES TO PROVIDE DECENT HOMES FOR 
                    THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
now proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 319, submitted by 
myself and others. I believe it is at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 319) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate that the Senate should participate in and support 
     activities to provide decent homes for the people of the 
     United States, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, we have 55 cosponsors in the Senate on 
this bill. My understanding is it has been cleared by both sides of the 
aisle, that there is no objection. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent 
that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion 
to reconsider be laid upon the table, and, finally, any statements 
relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 319) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 319

       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 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 1544 local affiliates and its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit 
     corporate status and locally elected completely voluntary 
     board of directors.
       Whereas Habitat for Humanity will build its 100,000th house 
     worldwide in September 2000 and endeavors to complete another 
     100,000 homes during the next 5 years.
       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 first week of June 2000 has been designated as 
     ``National Homeownership Week'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) everyone in the United States should have a decent home 
     in which to live;
       (2) the Members of the Senate should demonstrate the 
     importance of volunteerism;
       (3) during the year between National Homeownership Week 
     2000 and National Homeownership Week 2001, the Members of the 
     Senate, Habitat for Humanity, and contributing organizations, 
     should sponsor and construct 2 homes in the District of 
     Columbia each of which should be known as a ``House That the 
     Senate Built'';
       (4) each ``House That the Senate Built'' should be 
     constructed primarily by Members of the Senate, 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 ``House That the Senate Built'' should be 
     constructed with the participation of the family that will 
     own the home;
       (6) in the future, the Members of the Senate and their 
     families and staff should participate in similar house 
     building activities in their own States as part of National 
     Homeownership Week; 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.

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I am delighted we were able to pass S. 
Res. 319. We are going to build some houses.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I commend the Senator from Kansas. I 
believe I am a cosponsor of his resolution. If not, I ask unanimous 
consent to be added as a cosponsor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DORGAN. I think the Senator from Kansas has described it well. I 
am proud that the Senate has adopted the resolution. I think what 
Habitat for Humanity has done is really quite remarkable. I am glad he 
calls attention to it on the floor of the Senate today.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak in morning business 
for as much time as I may consume.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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