[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 33 (Thursday, March 17, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H1626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SAVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS

  (Mr. CLEAVER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my opposition to the 
administration's budget proposal.
  Although the Community Development Block Grant Program is now on its 
way out if this is approved, I think it is important for the Nation to 
know that on August 22, 1974, the Community Development Block Grant Act 
was signed into law by Republican President Gerald Ford, but it is the 
brain child of President Richard Nixon.
  Today, there is a proposal that would allow for a consolidation of 18 
other programs in the Department of Commerce, and the new commerce 
program would then be funded at a level that is 35 percent lower than 
the combined fiscal year 2005 appropriated level for all 18 programs.
  The pro-rata reduction of CDBG alone would be $1.42 billion. That 
would devastate a program, Mr. Speaker.
  When I was mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, we identified 60,000 homes 
in need of rehabilitation or repair. We were able to complete 12,000. 
What will happen to the 48,000 others?

                          ____________________