Bruce F. Vento: “I rise in overall support of this legislation which will provide $91.7 billion in fiscal year 1998 for housing programs…”

“I rise in overall support of this legislation which will provide $91.7 billion in fiscal year 1998 for housing programs, veterans programs, environmental programs, and a myriad of other independent agencies' programs. I think, Mr. Speaker, that this bill is acceptable, in relative terms, for housing, an area of appropriations that continues to bear the scars and burden of the 1995 rescissions bill which gutted important housing and homeless programs. We see in this bill a recognition of the section 8 renewal needs at $9.2 billion, a recognition of the political realities. The measure as reported does not antagonize Presidential priorities with regard to AmeriCorps or community development financial institutions, and there is a recognition in the bill of the need for balance among the programs funded through this important mixture of programs. These programs in effect display the full spectrum of Federal Government activities. Mr. Speaker, I do have reservations about some of the spending priorities in this VA-HUD-independent agencies appropriations bill. For example, while these are exciting times on Mars and as a person with a strong science interest, I celebrate the discoveries, I only wish we could see such exuberance, ingenuity, and funding commitment in tackling our Nation's housing challenge.”