[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 39 (Friday, March 7, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1742-S1746]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. BIDEN (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. 
        Sununu):
  S. 2731. A bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2009 
through 2013 to provide assistance to foreign countries to combat HIV/
AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, today I am pleased to join Senators Lugar, 
Kennedy, and Sununu in introducing legislation to reauthorize our 
Government's effort to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria 
overseas. Entitled the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States 
Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria 
Reauthorization Act of 2008--in recognition of the great service to 
this issue by our recently departed friends from the House of 
Representatives--the bill would continue and expand the revolutionary 
public health program begun 5 years ago at the initiative of President 
Bush.
  In his State of the Union address in 2003, the President announced a 
dramatic proposal--to spend $15 billion over 5 years to combat HIV/AIDS 
globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which has been hardest 
hit by the pandemic. Congress responded promptly, authorizing the full 
amount requested by the President just a few months later.
  In the last 5 years, the work of the U.S. Government and its 
implementing partners around the world has been nothing short of 
miraculous. Well over a million people have been saved from almost 
certain death by the provision of anti-retroviral drugs. Mr. President, 
150,000 babies have been born without HIV because of efforts to prevent 
the transmission of the disease from mothers who were so infected. 
Millions of people suffering from AIDS have received treatment and 
care. Over two million orphans and vulnerable children have received 
care, education and support. Across Africa, in communities large and 
small, we have given millions of people hope for a better and longer 
life.
  Even the most optimistic among us would not have predicted these 
dramatic results. History will record that this was President Bush's 
finest hour--he challenged our Government, and the governments in 
Africa, to respond to one of the most profound crises of our time. They 
have met and exceeded that challenge. While implementation of the 
program has not been problem-free, it has proceeded at a pace and scale 
that was unimaginable to most of us. The credit for this success goes 
to thousands of dedicated people serving here and abroad, and to the 
American people, for their generosity in supporting this program.
  We cannot, however, rest on this success. We have made progress, but 
the disease is still winning. Thousands of new infections occur every 
day. For every person enrolled in a treatment program last year, six 
more became infected.
  Last spring, the President challenged us again--to reauthorize the 
program at a level of $30 billion over the next 5 years. In the course 
of last summer and fall, the Committee on Foreign Relations has closely 
reviewed the President's request and the operation of our current 
programs. To review the programs in the field, teams of committee staff 
traveled to most of the 15 ``focus'' countries that have received the 
bulk of the funding. They visited dozens of clinics, hospitals, and 
care centers. They talked to hundreds of government officials, 
community members and health staff working against the disease, people 
living with HIV/AIDS, and children orphaned by the disease. We have 
learned what is working--and more important, what is not working. Last 
fall, the committee held formal hearings to take testimony from experts 
from within and without the Government. The committee has also closely 
reviewed numerous studies performed by government agencies and 
nongovernmental organizations working in this field.

  The Congress is now ready to act, and we are ready to respond to the 
President's call. The bill that we introduce today will reauthorize the 
Global HIV/AIDS programs for the next 5 fiscal years. It will provide 
authorization of appropriations of $50 billion over this period, of 
which $9 billion is devoted to fighting malaria and tuberculosis, two 
diseases that are also major causes of death in the developing world. 
This higher figure is justified because the President's figure of $30 
billion is too low--it will barely keep pace with inflation, as we are 
already funding current programs at a rate above $6 billion a year. 
Additionally, the President's request dealt only with HIV/AIDS, 
although the initial legislation in 2003 covered all three deadly 
diseases.
  The bill that we introduce will keep the basic framework of the 
program intact, but makes important adjustments based on lessons 
learned over the past 5 years. First, the bill removes most earmarks in 
the original law that delineated the percentages that should be devoted 
to treatment, to care, and to prevention. A major, congressionally 
mandated study by the Institute of Medicine, as well as one by the 
Government Accountability Office, concluded that these earmarks unduly 
limit flexibility for the people implementing the programs. We need to 
lift these restrictions in order to let our Government and local 
officials tailor their responses to local conditions. The only earmark 
that is retained is a 10 percent allocation for orphans and vulnerable 
children, for which there appears to be universal support.
  The bill also seeks to coordinate our HIV/AIDS programs with other 
health and development programs. The disease does not exist in a 
vacuum. Across the

[[Page S1743]]

developing world, people afflicted with HIV/AIDS face many other health 
and economic challenges. We need to better coordinate all of our health 
programs to promote efficiencies and expand the number of people we 
reach. Nutrition is the best example of how we could positively affect 
people's lives by improving our coordination. The bill promotes local 
health capacity--an enormous challenge in Africa in combating this 
disease. Further, the bill pushes the U.S. Government to plan for the 
long-term. We need to move from responding to an emergency toward 
building sustainability--so our local partners that have the resources 
can take over this effort, with our technical assistance.
  Perhaps most important, this legislation attempts to put major 
emphasis on prevention. Simply put, we cannot win the fight against 
HIV/AIDS unless we expand and improve efforts to prevent its spread. 
Such efforts must include the so-called ``ABC'' approach--abstinence, 
being faithful, and proper use of condoms. But they must involve much 
more; in some places successful prevention will require major societal 
and cultural change that must be initiated and led by local governments 
and leaders.
  Last week, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs approved a 
reauthorization bill on a bipartisan basis. The legislation was 
sponsored by the acting chairman, Mr. Berman, and the ranking member, 
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. It is endorsed by the President, who, having just 
returned from visiting Africa, personally urged several of us to act 
quickly on the reauthorization bill. The bill that we introduce today 
mirrors the compromise in the House in several major respects, which 
will facilitate a prompt conference with the other body.
  In partnership with Senator Lugar, who chaired our committee when the 
original legislation was approved in 2003, I have scheduled a markup in 
the Committee on Foreign Relations next week. I am hopeful of strong 
support to report the bill, and that the full Senate will act on the 
bill soon after the Easter recess.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. BOND (for himself, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Alexander, Mrs. Dole, 
        Mr. McConnell, Mr. Allard, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. 
        Craig, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Stevens, Ms. Murkowski, and 
        Mr. Coleman):
  S. 2734. A bill to aid families and neighborhoods facing home 
foreclosure and address the subprime mortgage crisis; read the first 
time.
  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, as I described last Friday, too many 
families in Missouri and across the Nation are feeling the pain of this 
Housing crisis, and they need our help now. We have 57,000 people in 
Missouri delinquent on their mortgages, with 20 percent of Missouri 
subprime borrowers behind on their payments. These families, 
unfortunately, similar to many across America in I imagine almost every 
State, can least afford higher housing costs as they are being hit with 
higher heating bills, higher health care costs, and more pain at the 
gas pump.
  That is why today I, in partnership with Senator Isakson, Senator 
Coleman, and several other Republican colleagues, will proudly 
introduce the Security Against Foreclosure and Education, or SAFE, Act 
of 2008. This bill focuses solely on the housing needs of our families 
and neighborhoods.
  A growing economy free of excess litigation and cumbersome regulation 
will help the most people find the most good-paying jobs and the relief 
they need. The HOME Act we introduced last week on our side included 
both housing relief provisions as well as tax relief for American 
families, litigation reform, and capital markets reform.
  However, we do not want Congress to lose sight of the housing crisis 
that too many American people are facing and the help they need right 
now. Therefore, we are introducing this measure today to focus solely 
on the housing help our families and neighborhoods need.
  Last week, I spoke about one person in need, suffering in the current 
subprime mortgage meltdown. That was Willie Clay of Kansas City, MO, a 
Vietnam vet unable to meet rising variable mortgage payments. 
Unfortunately, there are many more like him.
  Today I share with my colleagues the story of Katherine Gwinn of St. 
Louis, MO. Her story appeared in the St. Louis Dispatch last year. She 
is a disabled 53 year old living on Social Security and disability 
payments. Mrs. Gwinn refinanced her home three times to get lower 
payments and help pay off debt. Her subprime loan's initial fixed rate 
expired after 1 year. Since then, her payments have gone up 40 percent, 
now taking a large chunk of her $916 monthly income.
  Ms. Gwinn said the last time she refinanced, her mortgage broker 
fast-talked her into a subprime loan with provisions she did not 
understand. The result is her variable rate payments are now at $566 
per month. As I said earlier, Ms. Gwinn's monthly income of Social 
Security and disability payments is only $916 per month. How many of us 
could pay for food, gas, medicine, and heating bills on the remaining 
$350 per month? That is why I believe so strongly that we need to help 
folks such as Katherine Gwinn across the Nation.
  First, the Republican SAFE Act will help folks such as Katherine 
Gwinn and Willie Clay with $10 billion to State housing finance 
authorities to refinance distressed subprime mortgages. Our proposal 
would authorize the State housing finance agencies to issue $10 billion 
in tax-exempt bonds and use the proceeds to help refinance subprime 
mortgages, refinancing them at or near the original level which they 
could afford.
  Secondly, in order to help families avoid foreclosure and keep them 
in their homes, we propose to expedite the delivery of $180 million 
approved by Congress in December to assure counseling help to families 
in distress. As I announced last week, the first block of these funds 
has gone out, and we will ensure that remaining funds are delivered as 
quickly as possible after we can confirm that counseling is having the 
desired effect. This counseling is important because borrowers need to 
know and lenders need to know the best way to get out of this crisis is 
not to have foreclosures that throw families out of their homes. That 
not only hurts the family, it hurts the lender because they have to 
spend money on foreclosures, and it drives down the price of housing 
that is in their stock. In addition, it hurts communities, because when 
you have a community with significant numbers of foreclosures, you put 
a blanket of debt and hopelessness on communities which cannot remain 
viable.
  Thirdly, we support helping struggling neighborhoods by providing 
$15,000 in tax credits available over 3 years for purchasing a home in 
or approaching foreclosure. This provision, initially proposed by 
Senator Isakson, will help neighbors take down foreclosure signs and 
stop the slide in property values. We also support the so-called net 
operating loss carryback tax provisions to help firms that suffered 
operating losses lower their tax burden, so we enable homebuilders to 
get through this crisis.
  Our proposal includes no new loan disclosure requirements for 
prominent and plain English explanation of key loan conditions. Anybody 
who has purchased a house recently knows you are confronted with a 
stack of papers a half a foot high, with all kinds of legal 
gobbledygook and with provisions, if you looked hard enough, that may 
tell  you what is going to happen to you if you borrow the money. Most 
of it is legalese that we as lawyers--and I admit to having been one--
like to put in to cover every possible contingency. What borrowers need 
to see is in big type: ``Teaser, introductory rates,'' their payments, 
and when it expires. They need to know that if they are agreeing to an 
adjustable rate, what that rate could be and how much the new payment 
penalty will be or if there is going to be a repayment penalty. That 
information needs to be portrayed on the first page so you can see on 
the first page what you are getting into and how much it would cost you 
to get out. They will be reminded that there is no guarantee they will 
be able to refinance their loan before the introductory rate expires.

  These are the very things Katherine Gwinn and Willie Clay and 
thousands of borrowers did not understand when they agreed to their 
loans. We hope this will protect future families who want their share 
of the American dream.

[[Page S1744]]

  I also believe that providing the tax credit will help many first-
time homeowners get into a house and give them the extra cash they need 
to be able to meet their mortgage payments.
  Now, there are two new provisions added to our measure that we did 
not introduce last week. Senator Coleman provided language to give 
returning war veterans more time to avoid home foreclosure. Currently, 
they have a 3-month window from their return to the private sector to 
work out any mortgage difficulties they may have. That may not be 
enough time for a vet newly returned from the war zone and dealing with 
a host of family and financial problems. Our proposal would extend the 
returned war veteran protection against foreclosure to 6 months after 
they return.
  We have also introduced provisions of the Federal Housing Act reform 
bill that passed the Senate 93 to 1 last year. That bipartisan, near 
unanimous reform bill deserves to become law, and it will assist the 
FHA in stepping up to the plate in many areas where that agency can 
provide the kind of help and assistance we initially intended it to 
provide.
  Now, in contrast to the housing proposal introduced on the other 
side, Republicans will avoid making home ownership more expensive, 
especially for low-income families, through harmful bankruptcy changes 
that increase the cost of borrowing or encourage costly litigation.
  If we put in law the fact that bankruptcy judges will be able to cram 
down on lenders' onerous terms that were not included in the initial 
mortgage, they will find that mortgage companies may increase their 
rates by 1.5 to 2 percent. That could mean at least 6 million Americans 
would no longer be able to afford a mortgage to buy the home they need.
  Also, we will oppose plowing billions of dollars into big Government 
programs that will not help our neediest families now. We will also 
oppose adding more dollars to programs that are still flush with funds 
that were given them in December.
  Together, these housing proposals will help families such as those of 
Katherine Gwinn and Willie Clay and neighborhoods across the country 
get through this crisis. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I 
invite all colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with us to see 
if we cannot pass something that will provide relief now for the many 
families across this Nation who are suffering because of the subprime 
mortgage meltdown and the resulting financial pressures it puts on the 
lending industry and, through them, to the families themselves.
  This is the time. Now is the time for congressional action. I hope 
that with a broad coalition of my colleagues, we will be able to make 
these additions and provide assistance to suffering American families.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Hagel):
  S. 2735. A bill to establish the Council on Healthy Housing, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I introduce, along with Senator Hagel, the 
Healthy Housing Council Act of 2008. This legislation would establish 
an independent interagency Council on Healthy Housing in the executive 
branch. The bill would improve the coordination of existing but 
fragmented programs, so that families can access Government programs 
and services in a more efficient and effective manner.
  According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, more 
than 6 million households live in housing with moderate or severe 
heating, plumbing, or electric hazards. This count of moderate or 
severe physical problems does not even include significant lead-based 
paint hazards, which persist in 24 million, or approximately four times 
as many, households.
  Low-income and minority individuals and families are 
disproportionately affected by housing-related health hazards. We know 
that residents of poorly designed, constructed, or maintained housing 
are at greater risk for serious illnesses and injuries, including 
cancer, carbon monoxide poisoning, burns, falls, rodent bites, 
childhood lead poisoning, and asthma. According to the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican-
Americans are three times as likely to have elevated blood-lead levels, 
compared to non-Hispanic whites. About 1.2 million housing units with 
significant lead-based paint hazards house low-income families with 
children under 6 years of age.
  If the disease and injury toll taken on our Nation's individuals and 
families, particularly our children, is not enough to demonstrate the 
need for coordinated Federal Government action on housing-related 
health hazards, consider some of the annual costs.
  According to research at the Mount Sinai Children's Environmental 
Health Center, annual costs for environmentally attributable childhood 
diseases in the U.S. total an estimated $54.9 billion. That number is 
approximately 3 percent of total health care costs.
  The good news is that low-cost preventative measures can have 
dramatic effects. For example, properly installing and maintaining a 
smoke alarm can cut the risk of fire death in half. The Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention estimates that providing healthy housing 
to American families will help prevent 20 million asthma cases, 240,000 
incidents of elevated blood-lead levels in young children, 14,000 burn 
injuries, and 21,000 radon-associated lung cancer deaths.
  While there are many programs in place to address housing-related 
health hazards, these programs are fragmented and spread across many 
agencies, making it difficult for at-risk families to access assistance 
or to receive the comprehensive information they need. It is time for 
better coordination.
  This bill authorizes $750,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 to 2013 
for an independent Council on Healthy Housing, which would bring 
Federal, State, and local government representatives, as well as 
industry and nonprofit representatives, to the table at least once a 
year.
  The council would review, monitor, and evaluate existing housing, 
health, energy, and environmental programs. The council would then make 
recommendations to reduce duplication, ensure collaboration, identify 
best practices, and develop a comprehensive healthy housing research 
agenda.
  In order to ensure that members of the public are informed of and 
benefit from the council's activities, the council would hold biannual 
stakeholder meetings, keep an updated Web site, and work towards 
unified healthy housing data collection and maintenance.
  While there is a growing consensus on ways to help communities make 
housing healthier, there is also a lack of coordinated programs and 
information, which has made it difficult for the public to access 
research and data. By creating this council, we can provide a sorely 
needed forum for otherwise disparate health and housing experts, 
whether in the Government, private, or nonprofit sector, to share their 
experiences, successes, and agendas for the future.
  The Healthy Housing Council Act will help us start working towards a 
time when an affordable, decent, and healthy home will be not just the 
American dream, but the American promise. I hope my colleagues will 
join me and Senator Hagel in supporting this bipartisan bill and other 
healthy housing efforts.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2735

       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 ``Healthy Housing Council Act 
     of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) In the United States--
       (A) 6,000,000 households live in homes with moderate or 
     severe physical hazards;
       (B) 24,000,000 homes have significant lead-based paint 
     hazards;
       (C) 11,000,000 homes have had leaks in the last 12 months;
       (D) 6,000,000 homes have had signs of mice in the last 3 
     months; and
       (E) 1 in 15 homes have dangerous levels of radon.
       (2) Residents of housing that is poorly designed, 
     constructed, or maintained are at risk for cancer, carbon 
     monoxide poisoning,

[[Page S1745]]

     burns, falls, rodent bites, childhood lead poisoning, asthma, 
     and other illnesses and injuries. Vulnerable subpopulations, 
     such as children and the elderly, are at elevated risk for 
     housing-related illnesses and injuries.
       (3) Because substandard housing typically poses the 
     greatest risks, the disparities in the distribution of 
     housing-related health hazards are striking. 1,200,000 
     housing units with significant lead-based paint hazards house 
     low-income families with children under 6 years of age.
       (4) Minority populations also tend to be disproportionately 
     affected by housing-related illnesses, including lead 
     poisoning and asthma. According to the Centers for Disease 
     Control and Prevention, non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican 
     Americans are approximately 3 times as likely to have 
     elevated blood-lead levels, compared to non-Hispanic whites. 
     The non-Hispanic black population has an asthma mortality 
     rate 3 times greater than the rate for the non-Hispanic white 
     population.
       (5) The annual costs for environmentally attributable 
     childhood diseases in the United States, including lead 
     poisoning, asthma, and cancer, total $54,900,000,000. This 
     amount is approximately 3 percent of total health care costs.
       (6) Appropriate housing design, construction, and 
     maintenance, timely correction of deficiencies, planning 
     efforts, and low-cost preventative measures can reduce the 
     incidence of serious injury or death, improve the ability of 
     residents to survive in the event of a major catastrophe, and 
     contribute to overall well-being and mental health. Housing 
     units that are kept lead-safe are approximately 25 percent 
     less likely to have another child with elevated blood lead 
     levels. Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms reduce 
     the risk of fire deaths by 50 percent.
       (7) Providing healthy housing to families and individuals 
     in the United States will help prevent an estimated 240,000 
     elevated blood lead levels in young children, 11,000 
     unintentional injury deaths, 12,000,000 nonfatal injuries, 
     3,000 deaths in house fires, 14,000 burn injuries, and 21,000 
     radon-associated lung cancer deaths that occur in United 
     States housing each year, as well as 20,000,000 asthma cases 
     and 14,000,000 missed school days.
       (8) While there are many programs in place to address 
     housing-related health hazards, these programs are fragmented 
     and spread across many agencies, making it difficult for at-
     risk families and individuals to access assistance or to 
     receive comprehensive information.
       (9) Better coordination among Federal agencies is needed, 
     as is better coordination at State and local levels, to 
     ensure that families and individuals can access government 
     programs and services in an effective and efficient manner.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act, the following definitions shall apply:
       (1) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Interagency 
     Council on Healthy Housing established under section 4.
       (2) Housing.--The term ``housing'' means any form of 
     residence, including rental housing, homeownership, group 
     home, or supportive housing arrangement.
       (3) Healthy housing.--The term ``healthy housing'' means 
     housing that is designed, constructed, rehabilitated, and 
     maintained in a manner that supports the health of the 
     occupants of such housing.
       (4) Housing-related health hazard.--The term ``housing-
     related health hazard'' means any biological, physical, or 
     chemical source of exposure or condition either in, or 
     immediately adjacent to, housing, that can adversely affect 
     human health.
       (5) Low-income families and individuals.--The term ``low-
     income families and individuals'' means any household or 
     individual with an income at or below 200 percent of the 
     Federal poverty line.
       (6) Poverty line.--The term ``poverty line'' means the 
     official poverty line defined by the Office of Management and 
     Budget based on the most recent data available from the 
     Bureau of the Census.
       (7) Program.--The term ``program'' includes any Federal, 
     State, or local program providing housing or financial 
     assistance, health care, mortgages, bond and tax financing, 
     homebuyer support courses, financial education, mortgage 
     insurance or loan guarantees, housing counseling, supportive 
     services, energy assistance, or other assistance related to 
     healthy housing.
       (8) Service.--The term ``service'' includes public and 
     environmental health services, housing services, energy 
     efficiency services, human services, and any other services 
     needed to ensure that families and individuals in the United 
     States have access to healthy housing.

     SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HEALTHY HOUSING.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established in the executive 
     branch an independent council to be known as the Interagency 
     Council on Healthy Housing.
       (b) Objectives.--The objectives of the Council are as 
     follows:
       (1) To promote the supply of and demand for healthy housing 
     in the United States through capacity building, technical 
     assistance, education, and public policy.
       (2) To promote coordination and collaboration among the 
     Federal departments and agencies involved with housing, 
     public health, energy efficiency, emergency preparedness and 
     response, and the environment to improve services for 
     families and individuals residing in inadequate or unsafe 
     housing and to make recommendations about needed changes in 
     programs and services with an emphasis on--
       (A) maximizing the impact of existing programs and services 
     by transitioning the focus of such programs and services from 
     categorical approaches to comprehensive approaches that 
     consider and address multiple housing-related health hazards;
       (B) reducing or eliminating areas of overlap and 
     duplication in the provision and accessibility of such 
     programs and services;
       (C) ensuring that resources, including assistance with 
     capacity building, are targeted to and sufficient to meet the 
     needs of high-risk communities, families, and individuals; 
     and
       (D) facilitating access by families and individuals to 
     programs and services that help reduce health hazards in 
     housing.
       (3) To identify knowledge gaps, research needs, and policy 
     and program deficiencies associated with inadequate housing 
     conditions and housing-related illnesses and injuries.
       (4) To help identify best practices for achieving and 
     sustaining healthy housing.
       (5) To help improve the quality of existing and newly 
     constructed housing and related programs and services, 
     including those programs and services which serve low-income 
     families and individuals.
       (6) To establish an ongoing system of coordination among 
     and within such agencies or organizations so that the healthy 
     housing needs of families and individuals are met in a more 
     effective and efficient manner.
       (c) Membership.--The Council shall be composed of the 
     following members:
       (1) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
       (2) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
       (3) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
     Agency.
       (4) The Secretary of Energy.
       (5) The Secretary of Labor.
       (6) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
       (7) The Secretary of the Treasury.
       (8) The Secretary of Agriculture.
       (9) The Secretary of Education.
       (10) The head of any other Federal agency as the Council 
     considers appropriate.
       (11) 6 additional non-Federal employee members, as 
     appointed by the President to serve terms not to exceed 2 
     years, of whom--
       (A) 1 shall be a State or local Government Director of 
     Health or the Environment;
       (B) 1 shall be a State or local Government Director of 
     Housing or Community Development;
       (C) 2 shall represent nonprofit organizations involved in 
     housing or health issues; and
       (D) 2 shall represent for-profit entities involved in the 
     housing, banking, or health insurance industries.
       (d) Co-Chairpersons.--The co-Chairpersons of the Council 
     shall be the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
       (e) Vice Chair.--Every 2 years, the Council shall elect a 
     Vice Chair from among its members.
       (f) Meetings.--The Council shall meet at the call of either 
     co-Chairperson or a majority of its members at any time, and 
     no less often than annually.

     SEC. 5. FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL.

       (a) Relevant Activities.--In carrying out the objectives 
     described in section 4(b), the Council shall--
       (1) review Federal programs and services that provide 
     housing, health, energy, or environmental services to 
     families and individuals;
       (2) monitor, evaluate, and recommend improvements in 
     existing programs and services administered, funded, or 
     financed by Federal, State, and local agencies to assist 
     families and individuals in accessing healthy housing and 
     make recommendations about how such agencies can better work 
     to meet the healthy housing and related needs of low-income 
     families and individuals; and
       (3) recommend ways to--
       (A) reduce duplication among programs and services by 
     Federal agencies that assist families and individuals in 
     meeting their healthy housing and related service needs;
       (B) ensure collaboration among and within agencies in the 
     provision and availability of programs and services so that 
     families and individuals are able to easily access needed 
     programs and services;
       (C) work with States and local governments to better meet 
     the needs of families and individuals for healthy housing 
     by--
       (i) holding meetings with State and local representatives; 
     and
       (ii) providing ongoing technical assistance and training to 
     States and localities in better meeting the housing-related 
     needs of such families and individuals;
       (D) identify best practices for programs and services that 
     assist families and individuals in accessing healthy housing, 
     including model--
       (i) programs linking housing, health, environmental, human, 
     and energy services;
       (ii) housing and remodeling financing products offered by 
     government, quasi-government, and private sector entities;
       (iii) housing and building codes and regulatory practices;
       (iv) existing and new consensus specifications and work 
     practices documents;
       (v) capacity building and training programs that help 
     increase and diversify the supply of practitioners who 
     perform assessments of housing-related health hazards and

[[Page S1746]]

     interventions to address housing-related health hazards; and
       (vi) programs that increase community awareness of, and 
     education on, housing-related health hazards and available 
     assessments and interventions;
       (E) develop a comprehensive healthy housing research agenda 
     that considers health, safety, environmental, and energy 
     factors, to--
       (i) identify cost-effective assessments and treatment 
     protocols for housing-related health hazards in existing 
     housing;
       (ii) establish links between housing hazards and health 
     outcomes;
       (iii) track housing-related health problems including 
     injuries, illnesses, and death;
       (iv) track housing conditions that may be associated with 
     health problems;
       (v) identify cost-effective protocols for construction of 
     new healthy housing; and
       (vi) identify replicable and effective programs or 
     strategies for addressing housing-related health hazards;
       (4) hold biannual meetings with stakeholders and other 
     interested parties in a location convenient for such 
     stakeholders (or hold open Council meetings) to receive input 
     and ideas about how to best meet the healthy housing needs of 
     families and individuals;
       (5) maintain an updated website of policies, meetings, best 
     practices, programs and services, making use of existing 
     websites as appropriate, to keep people informed of the 
     Council's activities; and
       (6) work with member agencies to collect and maintain data 
     on housing-related health hazards, illnesses, and injuries so 
     that all data can be accessed in 1 place and to identify and 
     address unmet data needs.
       (b) Reports.--
       (1) By members.--Each year the head of each agency who is a 
     member of the Council shall prepare and transmit to the 
     Council a report that briefly summarizes--
       (A) each healthy housing-related program and service 
     administered by the agency and the number of families and 
     individuals served by each program or service, the resources 
     available in each program or service, as well as a breakdown 
     of where each program and service can be accessed;
       (B) the barriers and impediments, including statutory or 
     regulatory, to the access and use of such programs and 
     services by families and individuals, with particular 
     attention to the barriers and impediments experienced by low-
     income families and individuals;
       (C) the efforts made by each agency to increase 
     opportunities for families and individuals, including low-
     income families and individuals, to reside in healthy 
     housing, including how the agency is working with other 
     agencies to better coordinate programs and services; and
       (D) any new data collected by each agency relating to the 
     healthy housing needs of families and individuals.
       (2) By the council.--Each year the Council shall prepare 
     and transmit to the President and the Congress, a report 
     that--
       (A) summarizes the reports required in paragraph (1);
       (B) utilizes recent data to assess the nature of housing-
     related health hazards, and associated illnesses and 
     injuries, in the United States;
       (C) provides a comprehensive and detailed description of 
     the programs and services of the Federal Government in 
     meeting the needs and problems described in subparagraph (B);
       (D) describes the activities and accomplishments of the 
     Council in working with Federal, State, and local 
     governments, nonprofit organizations and for-profit entities 
     in coordinating programs and services to meet the needs 
     described in subparagraph (B) and the resources available to 
     meet those needs;
       (E) assesses the level of Federal assistance required to 
     meet the needs described in subparagraph (B); and
       (F) makes recommendations for appropriate legislative and 
     administrative actions to meet the needs described in 
     subparagraph (B) and for coordinating programs and services 
     designed to meet those needs.

     SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE COUNCIL.

       (a) Hearings.--The Council may hold such hearings, sit and 
     act at such times and places, take such testimony, and 
     receive such evidence as the Council considers advisable to 
     carry out the purposes of this Act.
       (b) Information From Agencies.--Agencies which are 
     represented on the Council shall provide all requested 
     information and data to the Council as requested.
       (c) Postal Services.--The Council may use the United States 
     mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as 
     other departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
       (d) Gifts.--
       (1) The Council may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
     donations of services or property.
       (2) The Council shall adopt internal regulations governing 
     the receipt of gifts or donations of services or property 
     similar to those described in part 2601 of title 5, Code of 
     Federal Regulations.
       (e) Contracts and Interagency Agreements.--The Council may 
     enter into contracts with State, Tribal, and local 
     governments, public agencies and private-sector entities, and 
     into interagency agreements with Federal agencies. Such 
     contracts and interagency agreements may be single-year or 
     multi-year in duration.

     SEC. 7. COUNCIL PERSONNEL MATTERS.

       (a) Compensation of Members.--
       (1) Non-federal employees.--A member of the Council who is 
     not an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be 
     reasonably compensated for that member's participation in the 
     Council, including reimbursement for travel expenses as 
     described in subsection (b).
       (2) Federal employees.--A member of the Council who is an 
     officer or employee of the United States shall serve without 
     compensation in addition to the compensation received for 
     services of the member as an officer or employee of the 
     Federal Government.
       (b) Travel Expenses.--The members of the Council shall be 
     allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
     subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies 
     under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
     Code, while away from their homes or regular places of 
     business in the performance of services for the Council.
       (c) Staff.--
       (1) Executive director.--The Council shall appoint an 
     Executive Director at its initial meeting. The Executive 
     Director shall be compensated at a rate not to exceed the 
     rate of pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule 
     under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
       (2) Compensation.--With the approval of the Council, the 
     Executive Director may appoint and fix the compensation of 
     such additional personnel as necessary to carry out the 
     duties of the Council. The rate of compensation may be set 
     without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter 
     II of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to 
     classification of positions and General Schedule pay rates, 
     except that the rate of pay may not exceed the rate payable 
     for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of 
     such title.
       (d) Temporary and Intermittent Services.--In carrying out 
     its objectives, the Council may procure temporary and 
     intermittent services of consultants and experts under 
     section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for 
     individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the 
     annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the 
     Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
       (e) Detail of Government Employees.--Upon request of the 
     Council, any Federal Government employee may be detailed to 
     the Council without reimbursement, and such detail shall be 
     without interruption or loss of civil service status or 
     privilege.
       (f) Administrative Support.--The Secretary of Housing and 
     Urban Development shall provide the Council with such 
     administrative (including office space) and supportive 
     services as are necessary to ensure that the Council can 
     carry out its functions.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out this Act, $750,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 
     through 2013.
       (b) Availability.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated by 
     subsection (a) shall remain available for the 2 fiscal years 
     following such appropriation.

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