John Joseph Moakley: “Madam Speaker, the bill for which this rule provides consideration funds two sets of programs, the veterans programs and…”

“Madam Speaker, the bill for which this rule provides consideration funds two sets of programs, the veterans programs and the housing programs. While it does a relatively good job funding most veterans programs, and I really applaud the committee, that is just the good news. The bad news is that it just does not go far enough in funding veterans medical research and State veterans homes. The bill severely underfunds housing programs to the tune of $2.5 billion less than the President's request. Madam Speaker, I can tell my colleagues from firsthand experience on both counts, veteran and housing, that they are very vital. They save lives, they give people hope, and they should be adequately funded. That is why I just cannot understand why my Republican colleagues are so opposed to adding this additional money to help Americans find affordable housing. Tuesday's Washington Post editorialized this bill, saying, and I quote, ``HUD reports that 5.4 million families are either paying more than half their income for housing or having to live in severely inadequate accommodations.''”