Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment No. 72 to provide additional funding for the Native American CDFI Assistance Program. This program supports critical economic development in Native communities, which face significant barriers to accessing basic financial services and capital. For example, almost all Alaska Native villages in my State do not have banks and are not connected to the road system. The Native program provides financial assistance and technical assistance awards on a competitive basis to Native CDFIs, allowing them to effectively build wealth and further economic self-determines in Native communities. These mission-driven Native organizations are working to finance businesses, create jobs, expand and improve affordable housing options, and much more. The Native program accounts for a small portion of the fund's overall budget but has a significant positive impact, which includes empowering Alaska Natives to improve their economic well-being in my home State. Without my amendment, a cut to the Native program in FY 2019 would be especially devastating to our Nation's impoverished and underserved Native communities. I urge my colleagues to support this noncontroversial bipartisan amendment to restore funding for the Native program.…”