[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 39 (Thursday, March 22, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H1064]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            CDBG RENEWAL ACT

  (Mrs. MEEK of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today, with the support of 50 of 
my colleagues, I am introducing the Community Development Block Grant 
Renewal Act, a bill that directs more CDBG funding to the low and 
moderate income people so that the CDBG program should serve.
  The basic mission of the Community Development Block Grant program is 
to direct Federal funding to the neediest among us. Today, pressures on 
low and moderate income people are more acute than ever before because 
of a severe shortage of affordable housing, the growing loss of public 
housing units and the changes in welfare law.
  Mr. Speaker, the CDBG program is not a revenue-sharing measure. It is 
not meant to simply redistribute money from the Federal Government to 
the States and local governments for any purposes whatsoever. Rather, 
the Community Development Block Grant program is to build housing, to 
provide safe, healthy housing for people who cannot afford market 
rents. It is meant to provide economic development and jobs for people 
with low and moderate income.
  My bill would amend the CDBG statute to better reflect the original 
spirit and intent of the law. It will require grantees to spend at 
least 80 percent of their CDBG funds to directly benefit low and 
moderate income people.

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