[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 20865]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



REGARDING FY 2000 VA, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL

  (Mr. BROWN of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 25th 
anniversary of the community development block grant program. This 
program has put local development decision in the hands of those who 
know best, those who live and work in the community. This long-term 
commitment to responsible flexibility has paid off leveraging $2.31 for 
every Federal dollar spent. Unfortunately, Republicans have chosen to 
commemorate 25 years of job creation and increased affordable housing 
by stripping the block grant program of $250 million in the Fiscal Year 
2000 VA HUD appropriations bill.
  In Lorain, Ohio, a community struggling with loss of industry and 
experiencing rents as much as 50 percent of income these cuts instantly 
translate into a loss of jobs, jobs that would have been created next 
year through mutually beneficial community improvement and construction 
projects. It defies common sense to deny people in Lorain, Ohio and 
across the country the chance to support their families and improve 
their communities just so Republicans can afford to give more tax 
breaks to the rich.
  I encourage my colleagues to vote against this legislation.

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