Barney Frank: “Mr. Chairman, this is a proposal for $35 million out of CDPG funds for a convention center. We have had a lot of debate…”

“Mr. Chairman, this is a proposal for $35 million out of CDPG funds for a convention center. We have had a lot of debate about the eligibility requirements of CDPG during the appropriation. At the urging of the gentlewoman from Florida, we modified a proposal extending funds to fire fighting, so that it was fully consistent with CDBG eligibility. This amendment would be a very big breach in that wall. It is a large amount of money for a particular purpose; the purpose may well be a reasonable one. There are many cities where similar needs could be put forward. It has not had any consideration at the subcommittee or committee level. There was some proposal made, and it was not pursued. It takes a very large chunk of CDBG for special purpose. Indeed, if you look at the current existing special purpose for CDBG, the existing special purpose for CDBG is $60 million. This would add to that $60 million, but it would add more than half as much as is currently set aside for that purpose. It does not seem to be appropriate to take an amount that is equal to more than half of what is currently set aside for the entire country for special purpose CDBG, use it without any regard for eligibility requirements for a particular project, no matter how worthy in one city, when dozens of other communities that would have similar projects would not get a chance to do anything similar.”