Political Quotes

“I join in thanking our colleague from North Dakota for his kind comments about Youthbuild. We did put in the $40 million requested for that program. I, too, have seen the benefits in St. Louis of the Youthbuild Program. I regret to inform my colleague that if he wants to deal with the problems of Indian housing, we do that, too. That is not Interior. That is in this committee. We will have, in the public housing reform bill that is working its way through the authorizing committees, there is a chapter that is in conference between the Senate and House Banking Committees that would reform Indian housing. Indian housing is unique. It has unique solutions. Instead of HUD micromanaging responsibilities, under the authorizing bill that is now in conference, the responsibility would be returned to the tribes to address their own needs. I suggest our colleague may want to take some time to acquaint himself with the provisions in that public housing bill that deal with Indian housing, because I share the concerns about Indian housing and how the U.S. Government has not done a good job in addressing those needs.”