Doug Bereuter: “I rise in support of the Bereuter amendment to the Hayworth amendment. Mr. Chairman, this Member rises in strong support…”

“I rise in support of the Bereuter amendment to the Hayworth amendment. Mr. Chairman, this Member rises in strong support of the Hayworth amendment. This amendment incorporates the text of H.R. 3219, the Native American Housing Assistance Self-Determination Act of 1996. This Member, along with his colleagues from Arizona, Mr. Hayworth, the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Lazio, and his colleague from the other side of the aisle, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, introduced H.R. 3219. I say, perhaps immediately, but eventually, I believe that this bill and Mr. Hayworth's amendment is the most important and beneficial Indian housing initiative ever offered. The concepts contained in this amendment are widely supported by Indian groups, including the National American Indian Housing Council. This revolutionary measure for the first time decouples predominantly rural Indian housing from the laws which were designed to govern urban public housing. Additionally, the Hayworth amendment creates flexible block grants to tribes or their tribally designated housing entity, recognizes and supports the unique government-to-government relationship between Indian tribes and the U.S.…”