[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17637]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HOMEOWNERSHIP AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, today, homeownership in 
America is at an all-time high. Republicans should be proud of this 
achievement, as we have worked along with President George W. Bush to 
make it easier for all families to afford their own home.
  We passed tax cuts for all Americans allowing them to keep more of 
their own money. We passed the American Dream Down Payment Act to help 
thousands of low-income families make the down payment on their first 
home. Minority homeownership has climbed to record levels of over 50 
percent. Housing starts in 2003 were at the highest level in 25 years, 
and home sales were the highest ever.
  As a former real estate attorney, I know firsthand the joy of buyers 
and sellers. I know the jobs created for the construction workers, 
landscapers, and suppliers. I appreciate the success of Realtors, and 
this builds the local tax base for better schools.
  While Democrats continue to try to talk down the economy with 
pessimism, American families living in their own home know that our 
economy is strong and growing.
  In conclusion, may God bless our troops, and we will never forget 
September 11.

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