Political Quotes

“Today, I rise proudly in support of H.R. 4329, the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization of 2014. In the 18 years since its enactment, this legislation has strengthened indigenous self-determination by empowering native nations to empower their low-income families and households by assisting with their affordable housing needs. The State of Hawaii's Department of Hawaiian Home Lands uses these funds to manage a trust that Congress established for the rehabilitation of the Native Hawaiian people. Over 1,400 low-income families in Hawaii have benefited from these services, and in many cases, homeownership would not have been possible given the $640,000 median price of a single-family home on the island of Oahu. I would like to give one quick example of the Nakihei family on the island of Molokai. Brent and Amber Nakihei could not have afforded to remain in the neighborhood where Brent grew up, but they partnered with the Molokai Habitat for Humanity and Hawaiian Homes to build a new three-bedroom, one-bath house in 2007. They invested 700 hours of work towards construction of that house, and their four children will now learn the responsibility of homeownership from a young age and have a safe home to grow up in. Passage of this legislation will continue to have a tremendous impact by enabling other families like the Nakihei family.…”