[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 109 (Thursday, July 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S6203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KOHL (for himself, Ms. Snowe, and Mr. Inouye):
  S. 3637. A bill to authorize appropriations for the Housing 
Assistance Council; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs.
  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Housing 
Assistance Council Authorization Act. This legslation will re-authorize 
appropriations for the Housing Assistance Council, HAC, which has been 
committed to developing affordable housing in rural communities for 
over 35 years.
  HAC was originally given a three-year authorization through the Farm 
Bill in 2008. During the past three years HAC made $46.1 million in 
grants and loans to help build 3,878 homes throughout rural America. 
The program has leveraged its funding with over $360 million in other 
financing and has provided essential technical assistance to local non-
profits throughout the country in the form of capacity building grants. 
These critical services help local organizations, rural communities and 
cities develop safe and affordable housing.
  Throughout the country, approximately \1/5\ of the Nation's 
population lives in rural communities. About 7.5 million of the rural 
population is living in poverty and 2.5 million of them are children. 
Nearly 3.6 million rural households pay more than 30 percent of their 
income in housing costs. While housing costs are generally lower in 
rural counties, wages are dramatically outpaced by the cost of housing. 
Additionally, the housing conditions are often substandard and there 
are many families doubled up due to lack of housing. Rural areas lack 
both affordable rental units and homeownership opportunities needed to 
serve the population.
  There are several federal programs that are aimed at developing 
affordable housing and economic opportunities in rural communities in 
both the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department 
of Agriculture. However, rural housing programs have traditionally been 
underfunded. The administration's fiscal year 2011 budget request 
zeroed two programs that were devoted to helping rural communities: 
Rural Innovation Fund, and the Self Help Homeownership Program, SHOP. 
In many regions, federal funding might be the only assistance available 
for housing and economic development. The Housing Assistance Council is 
yet another tool that rural communities can utilize when trying to 
develop affordable housing.
  The presence of the HAC in Wisconsin has made a huge impact on rural 
housing development in Wisconsin and other rural communities across the 
country. In Wisconsin, HAC has provided close to $5.2 million in grants 
and loans to 17 non-profit housing organizations and helped develop 825 
units of housing.
  Tony Romo, the current quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, grew up in 
a HAC-supported self-help home in Burlington, WI. His parents built the 
home as part of Southeastern Wisconsin Housing Corporation's sweat 
equity, self-help homeownership program. There are countless examples 
linking a child's future success to the stability in their childhood 
home. Tony Romo's story provides one such example of how a child raised 
in safe, stable homeownership may go on to later success.
  I am very honored to work with Senators Snowe and Inouye on this 
legislation. Its passage will allow every state to better serve the 
needs of the people living in rural areas. I look forward to working 
with my colleagues to ensure the adoption of this bill.
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