James Traficant: “I support the bill and I agree there are working poor, women and many people who are now homeless. I want to remind the…”

“I support the bill and I agree there are working poor, women and many people who are now homeless. I want to remind the Congress of the United States that there are veterans who are homeless as well. I passed an amendment to H.R. 2 that requires that a housing counseling 45 day notice be given by the banks when a delinquency rate is met, and I wanted to have that put in this bill. But I have the assurances of the chairman that H.R. 2 and my language that would require that VA loans and veterans would also get that 45 day notice, be kept in that bill. Mr. Speaker, I want to remind Members that money itself will not solve the homeless problem. We must leverage private sector money and we must move towards competitive employment opportunities for underemployed people. It is not just destitute sick people on our streets. Many of them are underemployed and do not have an opportunity for gain. So, Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from New York (Chairman Lazio) for a great bill. I think it is a dynamic young subcommittee. The gentleman is doing a great job. I want to keep my language, and I want that passed on so my housing counseling program would also be available to the veterans of our country, and they would get a notice and the accompanying protections that are afforded in other type loans.”