Steny Hoyer: “I rise first to congratulate the gentlewoman from Florida for working on this issue. It is a critically important issue…”

“I rise first to congratulate the gentlewoman from Florida for working on this issue. It is a critically important issue to millions of what the gentlewoman referred to as the ``unbanked,'' those who are not in the banking system. They do not have checks or ATM cards. They get ripped off every week when they try to cash their check or when they need a little money to bide them over. It is a significant problem. I am pleased that the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) have reached an agreement on this; and I hope the Committee on Financial Services will, in the very near future, authorize this program so this money, which is now fenced, subject to authorization, can move forward and the Treasury Department can implement a program which is critically necessary.”