Political Quotes

“I know from my district in Detroit and throughout the 11 other surrounding communities, for us, being the third poorest congressional district in the country, housing is critical, critical not only for economic stability, but also in providing a safe haven for many of our families across the district. Poverty is complex. A number of factors, including State and Federal policy failures and racial and gender inequities, have resulted in so much increased poverty, especially among children. Adjusting poverty requires that deep public investment in housing and other infrastructure, healthcare access, and public school investment, coupled with criminal justice reform policies designed to repair a history of segregation and continued exploitation. Less than a year, Madam Speaker, into its enactment, the opportunity zone program has already resulted in millions of dollars of wasteful spending and possible corruption. From cities like Chicago and Baltimore to the city of Detroit, billionaires were able to divert public tax dollars through a tax break called the opportunity zone that was supposed to lead to access to housing for our most vulnerable in communities like mine.…”