Lindsey Graham: “I am expressing my support of an amendment to provide additional funding for the Community Development Block Grants…”

“I am expressing my support of an amendment to provide additional funding for the Community Development Block Grants, CDBG, Program. I share the concerns of many of my colleagues that some government programs are overreaching and duplicative. I remain committed to goals of limiting the size and scope of the Federal Government, but as we fulfill this mission, Congress must work to ensure that we continue to support programs that truly serve the needs of our constituents. CDBG grants have benefited almost 130,000 people in South Carolina alone. Further, over ten thousand jobs have been created through CDBG projects. The CDBG program is one of HUD's most successful programs. It should be held up as an example of local communities, coordinating with their state, to using Federal dollars to foster growth and encourage citizen participation. In listening to community leaders across the state of South Carolina, the CDBG program gives them flexibility to execute plans that accurately address their situational needs, which in turn pay great dividends for the community. To put it simply, the CDBG program works and I am a proud to be an original cosponsor of this amendment.”