[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 178 (Thursday, December 3, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2883]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TEMPORARY FORBEARANCE FOR FAMILIES AFFECTED BY CONTAMINATED DRYWALL

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                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 2, 2009

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise before you today in 
support of House Concurrent Resolution 197, ``Encouraging banks and 
mortgage servicers to work with families affected by contaminated 
drywall to allow temporary forbearance without penalty on payments on 
their home mortgages''. I would like to thank my colleague, Rep. Glenn 
Nye, for introducing this act of solidarity, as well as the co-
sponsors.
  Contaminated drywall affects thousands of Americans--since January 
2009, over 1,300 cases of this structural condition have been reported 
from 26 States and the District of Columbia. When in 2006, more than 
495 million pounds of drywall was imported into the United States from 
China, my home city of Houston was one of the major recipients.
  Earlier this year, America's Watchdog, a national advocacy group for 
consumer protection, confirmed defective drywall in homes in Michigan, 
Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, 
North and South Carolina, New York and New Jersey, with an estimated 
10,000 homes in Florida and more than 100,000 nationwide affected. At 
least a dozen companies manufactured defective drywall in China and 
about 100 builders in Florida used the product, dating back to 2004.
  Noxious gases released from contaminated drywall can cause serious 
health effects involving the upper respiratory tract, such as bloody 
noses, rashes, sore throats, and burning eyes; and toxins released from 
contaminated drywall can corrode metals inside the home, such as air 
conditioning coils and electrical wiring.
  The dangers and health risks posed by contaminated drywall have 
forced thousands of families out of their homes and into temporary 
living situations, and many such families are unable to afford an 
additional financial burden. Because of this, some Americans who pay 
their mortgages on time are now suffering from both financial problems 
and health complications through no fault of their own.
  Banks and mortgage servicers can help families affected by this 
scourge by providing temporary forbearance with respect to their 
mortgage payments to help such families afford the costs of an 
additional residence while they are removed from their primary homes. 
That is why I join this body in encouraging banks and mortgage 
servicers to work with families affected by contaminated drywall to 
allow temporary forbearance without penalty on payments on their home 
mortgages.

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