Political Quotes

“This bill appropriates $40 million less to the Community Development Block Grant program in fiscal year 2015 than it did last year. I would have offered an amendment to maintain CDBG funding at last year's levels, but we know there is insufficient funding throughout this bill due to the budget caps. The CDBG program provides direct grants to 1,209 State and local governments. Since the start of the program in 1974, CDBG has invested over $135 billion in local economies, creating jobs, supporting local businesses, improving infrastructure, providing housing--including housing repairs and home ownership assistance--and services to low- income veterans, seniors, children, special-needs populations and working families. The CDBG program grows local economies and improves the quality of lives for low and moderate-income citizens. Over the past 10 years, CDBG-related funding is estimated to have sustained 400,000 jobs in local economies across the country. In 2012 alone, nearly 21,800 permanent jobs were created or retained using CDBG funds, and more than 32.5 million people benefited from CDBG-funded public facilities. The total amount appropriated to CDBG has declined almost every year since 2000. When measured in inflation-adjusted constant dollars, total program funding declined by 46.4 percent since fiscal year 2000.…”