[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 102 (Friday, July 20, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S8015]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Daschle, Mr. 
        Johnson, and Mr. Burns):
  S. 1210. A bill to reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance 
and Self-Determination Act of 1996; to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by Senators 
Inouye, Daschle, Johnson, and Burns in introducing a bill that 
reauthorizes the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act, NAHASDA, of 1996, P.L. 104-330. As many of my 
colleagues know, NAHASDA promotes tribal self-determination and self-
sufficiency as it builds upon the government-to-government relationship 
that exists between Indian tribes and the Federal Government.
  NAHASDA became effective on October 1, 1997 and provides a single, 
flexible block grant for tribes or tribally-designated housing 
entities, TDHE, to administer Federal housing assistance. Under this 
block grant system, NAHASDA empowers tribes to determine local needs 
and authorizes tribal decision making when it comes to Indian housing 
policy.
  Before NAHASDA, the Federal Government dictated the planning, 
financing and building of Indian housing. Since NAHASDA's enactment, 
tribes are in the ``driver's seat,'' and have the right to make certain 
decisions with regard to resource allocation; and also have the 
responsibility to determine the needs of their members and to make 
every effort to satisfy those needs.

  In the past five years, NAHASDA has assisted tribes in making great 
strides in the quality and quantity of housing provided to Indian and 
Alaska Native communities. In fact, HUD estimates that over 25,000 new 
units of housing have been placed in Indian and Alaska Native 
communities under NAHASDA. This number is 10 times the maximum annual 
number of units provided for Indian communities under the previous 
Indian housing program.
  Even with all the success of NAHASDA, Indian communities continue to 
live in the worst housing conditions in the United States. In fact, 
Indian housing is often and justifiably compared to the conditions 
present in Third World countries. Some of the startling statistics that 
characterize housing in Indian communities show that: 1 out of every 5 
Indian homes lacks complete plumbing; 40 percent of homes on Indian 
lands are overcrowded and have serious physical deficiencies; and 69 
percent of homes on Indian lands are severely overcrowded with up to 4 
or 5 families living in the same two bedroom house.
  These statistics illustrate that there is still much work to be done. 
NAHASDA has been a good first step in improving living conditions in 
Indian and Alaska Native communities, however there is still a 
tremendous need for adequate housing in these communities.
  In the first few years of NAHASDA implementation, some bumps in the 
road were experienced. To provide a better transition from the old HUD 
dominated regime to the new policies of NAHASDA, I introduced a bill to 
provide technical amendments to strengthen and clarify NAHASDA. These 
technical amendments were necessary to ensure the proper implementation 
and enforcement of NAHASDA. With the recent enactment of the Native 
American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 
1999, P.L. 106-568, NAHASDA is better suited to meet its goals and 
responsibilities.
  The bill I am introducing today will extend NAHASDA for an additional 
five years. With the groundwork now laid, both Indian tribes and HUD 
should be able to provide improved housing assistance to Indian and 
Alaska Native communities.
  Moreover, the extension of NAHASDA will encourage greater utilization 
of NAHASDA programs including its Title VI Loan Guarantee program, 
designed to aid tribes in leveraging federal funds in partnership with 
the private sector.
  As Chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs, I am committed to 
ensuring that NAHASDA is implemented in a fair, efficient and 
productive manner. It is my hope that the enactment of certain 
technical amendments in P.L. 106-568, and the reauthorization of 
NAHASDA will ensure improved housing assistance to all Indian and 
Alaska Native communities for years to come.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1210

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Housing 
     Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 
     2001''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING 
                   ASSISTANCE AND SELF-DETERMINATION ACT OF 1996.

       (a) Block Grants.--Section 108 of the Native American 
     Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 
     U.S.C. 4117) is amended by striking ``, 1999, 2000, and 
     2001'' and inserting ``through 2006''.
       (b) Federal Guarantees.--Subsections (a) and (b) of section 
     605 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
     Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4195) are each amended 
     by striking ``, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001'' and inserting 
     ``through 2006''.
       (c) Training and Technical Assistance.--Section 703 of the 
     Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act 
     of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4212) is amended by striking ``, 1998, 
     1999, 2000, and 2001'' and inserting ``through 2006''.
                                 ______