Kit Bond

As Stalin once said, 'quantity has a quality all of its own.'

We need money in the budget.

Capsulize it, if you can.

I have some concerns about if there is a cutback in the 2012 budget based on problems with the deficit.

In Missouri, we had a very aggressive U.S. attorney who files a number of criminal indictments, and some of these are not just people who should be disbarred.

What I am worried about, I guess we are letting loose of the trapeze bar, and I want to see a trapeze bar there to hang onto.

If the State is putting money into it and the locality has some skin in the game, to me, that is a very good indicator that this is something the Feds should look at carefully.

I know you care a lot about.

That is why Senator Murray and I promoted the VASH program to bring the VA and HUD together because the homeless veterans are very near and dear to my heart.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thank you for holding the important hearing.

Well, we want to see what needs to be done. And if you are focusing on 300,000 units, that goes back to my initial concern.

I think it is important that you maintain that collaboration.

But I want to make sure, once again, that the Federal Government is not forcing conclusions on local communities.

I am concerned that HUD decisionmaking is open and objective.

I think when TRA was promised, was proposed--the legislation was promised this month--it is clearly a big and controversial effort, had lots of questions with it.

We want to know how--I mean, are we wasting money on HOME. I thought that HOME was going to do that.

And we are going to have to work with you on that because anybody who looks at the legislative calendar in the United States Congress knows that even getting our appropriations bills done is going to be a challenge.

Because I think most members, certainly over on the Senate side and, I would assume, on the House side, would like to know if there are 3, 10, 15, or 20 coming in from our State.

You ought to decide with DOT whether it is sustainability or livability would be helpful.

I appreciate getting the gavel back from my good friend. Senator Leahy has outlined the concerns we have in rural America.

Well, I think that is very important that you have a right to ask of the local communities or regional areas what their plans are, and that is something I have worked on for about 40 years.

What can you do to help get the dollars there?

And the other thing, I appreciate you mentioning my old friend, HOPE VI again.

Certainly, you will have no argument from me on a need to clarify, consolidate, and simplify the HUD programs.

I think most members, certainly over on the Senate side and, I would assume, on the House side, would like to know if there are 3, 10, 15, or 20 coming in from our State.