[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 14771-14772]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    OPPOSE CUTS TO HOUSING PROGRAMS

  (Mr. CLEAVER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, later today, the House will consider the 
Transportation, Treasury, HUD, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2006. While I commend the 
Committee on Appropriations for rejecting the President's Strengthening 
America's Communities Initiative, which would have transferred the 
Community Development Block Grant from HUD to the Department of 
Commerce for consolidation of 17 other programs, I am concerned with 
the gross underfunding of HUD programs in this bill.
  The good and decent people around this Nation need to know that the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development's programs are primarily 
designed to address the housing and community development needs of 
disadvantaged communities. Unfortunately, the House bill slashed its 
funding for a number of vital Federal programs that have been central 
to the revitalization efforts underway in our Nation's cities, 
including Kansas City, Lee's Summit, and Independence, Missouri. The 
bill proposes to fund CDBG at $250 million below fiscal year 2005 
levels and provide zero funding for important programs such as section 
108 loans, Youthbuild, Brownfields, Hope VI, and Empowerment Zones.

[[Page 14772]]

  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in opposing these cuts.
  While we have all heard the Administration tout national 
homeownership rates, it is confusing because the House majority has 
proposed cutting programs that are designed to increase the 
homeownership rates for lower-income and minority households. These 
actions demonstrate that some in this legislative body seem more 
interested in securing tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent than 
they are in closing the homeownership gap or the creation of affordable 
housing.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in opposing these cuts.

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