Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I thank Ranking Member Quigley for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my en bloc amendment filed with my colleague, Congressman John Garamendi, which highlights the importance of the HOME Investment Partnership program to meet affordable housing needs in the United States. For 30 years, Mr. Chair, HOME has proven to be one of the most effective locally driven tools to help States and communities address their most pressing housing challenges; whether that is new affordable housing construction, rehabilitation of existing buildings, homebuyer assistance, and tenant-based rental assistance, including veterans, as we approach Veterans Day, persons with disabilities, seniors, and persons experiencing homelessness. We cannot slash or cut these funds because we know slashing the funds for the HOME program from $1.7 million to $500 million--the lowest allocation since the program was established in 1992--at a time when the Nation, and as we all know in all districts, is facing an affordable housing crisis, with record lows in housing inventory and soaring rents and construction costs, slashing such an essential housing program by nearly 70 percent is unthinkable. Every American deserves access to safe and affordable housing, and every single one of my colleagues in this Chamber ought to support the HOME program to be fully funded to achieve that purpose. Mr.…”