[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 30, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H4326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
URGING OMB TO WITHDRAW PROPOSED RULE
(Mr. Latimer of New York was recognized to address the House for 5
minutes.)
Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the
sweeping proposed rule from the Office of Management and Budget that
would fundamentally overhaul how Federal agencies award and administer
grant funds.
Under this proposal, Federal grant funding would be tied to the
President's ideological agenda and subject to intense scrutiny by
political appointees of the President instead of nonpartisan scientific
peer review.
The proposed rule would also make it easier for agencies to suspend
or cancel grants if administration priorities change. This rule would
prevent grantees from having the opportunity to contest political
decisions from the administration without incurring expensive
litigation costs.
If implemented, this rule would force already burdened local
governments, nonprofits, and community health centers to operate in an
ever-shifting environment, making it more difficult to provide vital
services, including housing, food, and disaster assistance.
Mr. Speaker, I urge OMB to withdraw this rulemaking in full.
Protect TPS for Haitians and Syrians
Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 1 week after the Supreme Court
decision to end temporary protected status for immigrants from Haiti
and Syria.
When the TPS program was created in 1990 by Congress, its purpose was
to ensure an immediate solution for immigrants fleeing emergent crises,
whether that may be ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or
other extraordinary conditions.
Today, 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians face potential deportation
to parts of the world where crises remain, and their security is
threatened.
Engineers, students, doctors, and caregivers who came to this country
to give, not take, are being thrown to the wayside.
While I joined a majority of my colleagues in the House to pass a
bill protecting TPS for Haitians, until it becomes law, over 350,000
lives remain in limbo.
Mr. Speaker, on the 250th anniversary of the United States, this
decision turns its back on a founding promise to give refuge to the
persecuted. It is time we get back to honoring that promise.
Supporting Housing Affordability
Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about the American Dream, most
imagine settling down with a good-paying job and a constant roof over
their head.
Sadly, that goal continues to grow out of reach for many with rising
inflation and the lack of affordable housing.
I saw the pressures of that crisis as Westchester County executive,
where I worked to create more than 2,500 affordable housing units.
In Congress, I have continued to support legislation to expand
housing opportunities and improve affordability. That is why I was
proud to support the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which would
build more homes, make it easier to buy or rent a home, and provide
better data to improve resources in underserved communities.
Although President Trump refused to sign this crucial piece of
legislation into law, this will not stop Congress from delivering for
the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to show my constituents and people across the
country that despite the disarray handed down from the President, on
this particular issue, Democrats and Republicans worked together to
address the affordability crisis.
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