Angie Craig: “This amendment will restore some certainty to the Senate's appropriation for assistance under the Low Income Housing…”

“This amendment will restore some certainty to the Senate's appropriation for assistance under the Low Income Housing Preservation and Resident Homeownership Act, or LIHPRHA. I appreciate the managers accepting this amendment. Senators Moseley-Braun, Kempthorne, Kerry, and I had written Chairman Bond earlier to express our support for appropriating at least $500 million for LIHPRHA this year, and to note that, within a tight and fiscally responsible budget, this program remains a reasonable priority. Mr. President, as always, I want to reiterate my commitment to balancing the Federal budget and keeping it balanced. Balancing the budget is all about setting priorities. This Congress, the bravest in 40 years, has passed balanced budgets and I have supported them. I have no trouble finding room within those budgets for reasonable appropriations for LIHPRHA. I have spoken with Idahoans--tenants and owners alike--who have turned to LIHPRHA as a cost-effective way to maintain private ownership of low-income housing, to preserve that housing stock, and to keep it in good repair.”