[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 46 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H2733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 1695, the Community Services Block Grant Reauthorization Act of 
2019.
  This bill renews our Nation's commitment to reducing poverty through 
locally driven, comprehensive approaches.
  I am proud to lead this legislation with Congresswoman Betty 
McCollum.
  Mr. Speaker, the Community Services Block Grant traces its roots back 
more than 50 years ago to the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. This 
act established local committee action agencies to help people identify 
why people were in poverty and how to address it using public and 
private resources and partnerships.
  Virtually every county in America has a community action agency. They 
act as a safety net for low-income individuals and families, but, more 
importantly, they help to create opportunities to raise people out of 
poverty--from poverty to independence.
  The Community Services Block Grant is the only Federal program with 
the explicit goal of reducing poverty, regardless of its cause. 
Unfortunately, this program has not been reauthorized in more than 20 
years, which is unacceptable.
  It is time to reauthorize the Community Services Block Grant, and I 
urge all my colleagues to cosponsor and support this bill.

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