[House Report 110-204]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




110th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    110-204

======================================================================



 
          HOUSING ASSISTANCE COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007

                                _______
                                

 June 21, 2007.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, from the Committee on Financial Services, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1980]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Financial Services, to whom was referred the 
bill (H.R.  1980) to authorize appropriations for the Housing 
Assistance Council, having considered the same, report 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 
do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     2
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     2
Hearings.........................................................     2
Committee Consideration..........................................     3
Committee Votes..................................................     3
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     4
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................     4
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures     4
Committee Cost Estimate..........................................     4
Congressional Budget Office Estimate.............................     4
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................     5
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     5
Constitutional Authority Statement...............................     5
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................     6
Earmark Identification...........................................     6
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................     6

                          PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

    H.R. 1980, the Housing Assistance Council Authorization Act 
of 2007, authorizes funding for the Housing Assistance Council 
(HAC).
    H.R. 1980 authorizes $10 million for HAC in FY 2008 and $15 
million for Fiscal Years 2009-2014. The bill is a straight 
authorization with no program changes.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    HAC, a nonprofit corporation, is the only national housing 
assistance group that specializes in rural areas and small 
towns. Started in 1971, HAC assists in the development of both 
single- and multi-family homes and promotes homeownership for 
working low-income rural families. HAC maintains a special 
focus on high-need groups and regions: Indian country, the 
Mississippi Delta, farm workers, the Southwest border colonias, 
and Appalachia.
    The authorized funds will allow HAC to provide grants, 
loans, technical assistance, training, and other support to 
develop the capacities of rural community-based housing 
development organizations. The bill allows HAC to offer vital 
help to affordable housing projects developed by these rural 
community organizations. HAC will be able to continue its 
successful program of assistance to a national network of rural 
nonprofit, public and for profit builders. Since 1999 HAC has 
provided over $105 million in aid to hundreds of organizations 
serving rural America. Over its 35-year history HAC has helped 
build almost 60,000 affordable homes in 49 states and two 
territories.

                                HEARINGS

    On May 8, 2007, the Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing entitled ``Rural Housing Programs: 
Review Fiscal Year 2008 Budget and Pending Rural Housing 
Legislation,'' which included testimony from witnesses on H.R. 
1980:

Panel one

           The Honorable Pamela Patenaude, Assistant 
        Secretary for Community Planning and Development, U.S. 
        Department of Housing and Urban Development
           Mr. Russell T. Davis, Administrator for 
        Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities 
        Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Panel two

           Mr. Gideon Anders, National Housing Law 
        Project
           Dr. Tom Carew, Director of Design and 
        Community, Frontier Housing, Inc.
           Mr. Moises Loza, Executive Director, Housing 
        Assistance Council
           Mr. Robert Rice, Jr., Council for Affordable 
        and Rural Housing
           The Honorable Peter Carey, Executive 
        Director of Self Help Enterprises

                        COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    The Committee on Financial Services met in open session on 
May 23, 2007, and ordered H.R. 1980, the Housing Assistance 
Council Authorization Act of 2007, favorably reported to the 
House by a voice vote.

                            COMMITTEE VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes 
on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto. A 
motion by Mr. Frank to report the bill to the House with a 
favorable recommendation was agreed to by a voice vote. During 
consideration of the bill, the following amendment was 
considered and disposed of by record vote.
    An amendment by Mr. Price, No. 1, requiring offsets, was 
not agreed to by a record vote of 24 yeas and 32 nays (Record 
vote FC-47). The names of Members voting for and against 
follow:

                                              RECORD VOTE NO. FC-47
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Representative             Aye       Nay     Present     Representative       Aye       Nay     Present
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Frank.......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Bachus.........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Kanjorski...................  .......  ........  ........  Mr. Baker..........  ........  ........  ........
Ms. Waters......................  .......        X   ........  Ms. Pryce (OH).....  ........  ........  ........
Mrs. Maloney....................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Castle.........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Gutierrez...................  .......        X   ........  Mr. King (NY)......        X   ........  ........
Ms. Velazquez...................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Royce..........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Watt........................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Lucas..........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Ackerman....................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Paul...........        X   ........  ........
Ms. Carson......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Gillmor........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Sherman.....................  .......        X   ........  Mr. LaTourette.....        X   ........  ........
Mr. Meeks.......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Manzullo.......        X   ........  ........
Mr. Moore (KS)..................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Jones..........  ........  ........  ........
Mr. Capuano.....................  .......  ........  ........  Mrs. Biggert.......  ........        X   ........
Mr. Hinojosa....................  .......  ........  ........  Mr. Shays..........  ........  ........  ........
Mr. Clay........................  .......  ........  ........  Mr. Miller (CA)....        X   ........  ........
Mrs. McCarthy...................  .......        X   ........  Mrs. Capito........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Baca........................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Feeney.........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Lynch.......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Hensarling.....        X   ........  ........
Mr. Miller (NC).................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Garrett (NJ)...        X   ........  ........
Mr. Scott.......................  .......        X   ........  Ms. Brown-Waite....        X   ........  ........
Mr. Green.......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Barrett (SC)...        X   ........  ........
Mr. Cleaver.....................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Gerlach........  ........  ........  ........
Ms. Bean........................  .......  ........  ........  Mr. Pearce.........        X   ........  ........
Ms. Moore (WI)..................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Neugebauer.....        X   ........  ........
Mr. Davis (TN)..................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Price (GA).....  ........  ........  ........
Mr. Sires.......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Davis (KY).....  ........  ........  ........
Mr. Hodes.......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. McHenry........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Ellison.....................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Campbell.......  ........  ........  ........
Mr. Klein.......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Putnam.........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Mahoney (FL)................  .......        X   ........  Mrs. Bachmann......        X   ........  ........
Mr. Wilson......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Roskam.........        X   ........  ........
Mr. Perlmutter..................  .......        X   ........  Mr. Marchant.......        X   ........  ........
Mr. Murphy......................  .......        X   ........  Mr. McCotter.......        X   ........  ........
Mr. Donnelly....................  .......        X   ........
Mr. Wexler......................  .......  ........  ........
Mr. Marshall....................  .......        X   ........
Mr. Boren.......................  .......        X   ........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee has held hearings and 
made findings that are reflected in this report.

                    PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee establishes the 
following performance related goals and objectives for this 
legislation:
    H.R. 1980, the Housing Assistance Council Authorization Act 
of 2007, authorizes funding for the Housing Assistance Council 
with the goal of providing affordable housing and economic 
development in rural America.

   NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its 
own the estimate of new budget authority, entitlement 
authority, or tax expenditures or revenues contained in the 
cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974.

                        COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

    The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared 
by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to 
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

                  CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate 
provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974:

                                                      June 1, 2007.
Hon. Barney Frank,
Chairman, Committee on Financial Services,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1980, the Housing 
Assistance Council Authorization Act of 2007.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Chad Chirico.
            Sincerely,
                                                   Peter R. Orszag.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1980--Housing Assistance Council Authorization Act of 2007

    Summary: H.R. 1980 would authorize the appropriation of $10 
million in 2008 and $15 million for each of fiscal years 2009 
through 2014 to provide funding to the Housing Assistance 
Council (HAC). The HAC is a nonprofit corporation that assists 
public, nonprofit, and private organizations in the development 
of affordable housing in rural communities. Assuming 
appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that 
implementing the bill would cost $70 million over the 2008-2012 
period, with additional amounts spent in later years. Enacting 
H.R. 1980 would not affect direct spending or revenues.
    H.R. 1980 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA); 
any costs to state, local, or tribal governments would be 
incurred voluntarily.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact of H.R. 1980 is shown in the following table. 
For this estimate, CBO assumes that the amounts authorized by 
the bill will be appropriated by the beginning of each fiscal 
year and that outlays will follow the historical rate of 
spending for similar programs. The costs of this legislation 
fall within budget function 600 (income security).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      By fiscal year, in millions of
                                                 dollars--
                                 ---------------------------------------
                                   2008    2009    2010    2011    2012
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Authorization Level.............      10      15      15      15      15
Estimated Outlays...............      10      15      15      15      15
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 1980 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA. Funds authorized in the bill would benefit 
state, local, and tribal governments that participate in 
affordable housing projects and programs in rural areas. Any 
costs to those governments to comply with grant conditions 
would be incurred voluntarily.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Chad Chirico; Impact 
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Lisa Ramirez-Branum; 
Impact on the Private Sector: Page Shevlin.
    Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                       FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal 
man- dates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act.

                      ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                   CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

    Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that the 
Constitutional Authority of Congress to enact this legislation 
is provided by Article 1, section 8, clause 1 (relating to the 
general welfare of the United States) and clause 3 (relating to 
the power to regulate interstate commerce).

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

                         EARMARK IDENTIFICATION

    In compliance with clause 9 of rule XXI, the Committee is 
in receipt of the following correspondence:

                                  House of Representatives,
                                      Washington, DC, May 18, 2007.
Hon. Barney Frank,
Chairman, Committee on Financial Services,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Spencer Bachus,
Ranking Member, Committee on Financial Services,
Washington, DC.
    Chairman Frank and Ranking Member Bachus: I am writing to 
request that the Committee on Financial Services authorize $10 
million in funding for the Housing Assistance Council in Fiscal 
Year 2008 and $15 million in Fiscal Years 2009-2014. The 
funding will be provided under HUD's Self-Help and Assisted 
Homeownership Opportunity Programs.
    The Housing Assistance Council is located at 1025 Vermont 
Ave., N.W., Suite 606, Washington, D.C. 20005. Created in 1971, 
the Housing Assistance Council offers seed-money loans, grants, 
training, technical aid, and information to local community 
groups that are building decent, safe and affordable housing in 
underserved rural areas. Much of HAC's work is focused on 
homeownership for rural families, particularly using the sweat 
equity, self-help approach.
    I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial 
interest in the Council or its projects. Again, I request that 
the Committee authorize $10 million in funding for HAC in FY'08 
and $15 million in Fiscal Years 2009-2014.
            Sincerely,
                                            Ruben Hinojosa,
                                                Member of Congress.

             SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Short title

    This section establishes the short title of the bill, the 
``Housing Assistance Council Authorization Act of 2007.''

Section 2. Assistance to Housing Assistance Council

    This section authorizes the Secretary of the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development to provide assistance to the 
Housing Assistance Council, and authorizes appropriations for 
the program in the amount of $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 
and $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009, 2010, 2011, 
2012, 2013, and 2014.

                                  
