[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 8546-8547]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      IN SUPPORT OF THE GULF COAST HURRICANE HOUSING RECOVERY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 30, 2007

  Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Gulf Coast 
Hurricane Housing Recovery Act (H.R. 1227). This bill is critical in 
providing affordable housing to low-income families affected by 
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
  It is the responsibility of all national governments to prepare, plan 
and defend its citizens against all known and potential natural and 
man-made disasters. Such was the case that confronted the Bush 
administration in August 2005. But because of the Bush administration's 
lack of preparation, misplaced priorities and ineptitude, the 
combination of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma severely devastated 
the Gulf Coast to such a degree that many lives and property were lost 
and the effects of disrupted lives and businesses are still being felt 
nearly 2 years later. Frankly, the response of the administration has 
been unacceptably slow in the aftermath of the hurricanes and the needs 
of displaced residents of the Gulf Coast have been left unmet.
  The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act offers significant 
relief to the displaced families of the Gulf Coast. Specifically, the 
bill directs FEMA to be flexible in the application of its funds for 
the Louisiana Road Home program that provides financial incentives for 
people to come back and live in the State.
  The bill further directs HUD and the New Orleans Public Housing 
Authority to engage its human and material resources to preserve the 
supply of affordable rental housing.
  The bill incorporates an important fair housing enforcement component 
that makes funds available as may be necessary to qualified private 
fair housing enforcement organizations to carry out the mandate of 
section 561 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987. That 
provision authorizes the Secretary of HUD to make grants to these 
organizations to formulate or carry-out programs to prevent or 
eliminate discriminatory housing practices, enforce the rights granted 
under the Civil Rights Act of 1968 or State and local laws that provide 
rights and remedies for alleged discriminatory housing practices. 
Education and outreach programs designed to inform the public 
concerning rights and obligations under the laws referred to by the 
Civil Rights Act are also allowable expenditures. We are all too 
familiar, sadly, with the historical exploitation of low-income 
populations many of whom are members of minority groups in this 
country. That is why this provision is so important.
  This bill also recognizes the many individuals, groups and 
communities that offered a helping hand by assisting evacuees in the 
immediate aftermath of the hurricanes. It is gratifying to know that 
through this bill we would be fulfilling the nation's promise to 
crucial partners that stepped-up in times of need. This bill 
replenishes the CDBG funds of localities that were used to provide 
rental housing assistance to evacuees. It authorizes reimbursements to 
landlords who participated in the FEMA Section 403 program to provide 
emergency shelter in response to Hurricane Katrina, Rita or Wilma in 
spite of FEMA's subsequent reneging on its promise to provide 
reimbursements under this program.
  This is an important piece of legislation that will help put the Gulf 
Coast back on a path to full recovery. I urge my colleagues to support 
this bill.

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