National Community Action Foundation's 60th Anniversary

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible work of the National Community Action Foundation as they celebrate 60 years of community action.

Virtually every county throughout the country has a community action agency, which is an organization charged with fighting poverty at the local level. Today, I want to recognize some of the incredible work these agencies do at the local level to create opportunities for people to move from poverty to financial independence.

Community action agencies administer Federal funds from the community services block grant, which continues to be the only Federal program with the explicit and overarching goal of reducing poverty regardless of its cause.

The vast majority of CSBG funds, no less than 90 percent of each State's allotment, go directly to local agencies that can use these flexible funds to tailor a unique response to poverty in their communities.

Community action agencies are highly successful at leveraging their CSBG allotments to obtain a wide array of other public and private dollars, showing the immense benefits of supporting successful public- private partnerships. These agencies often help administer a wide array of programs, including Head Start, USDA food programs, LIHEAP, Federal homelessness programs, workforce funding, and much more.

For more than 60 years, the Community Action Network has inspired a spirit of hope. It has helped millions of people each year change their lives and has improved communities all across America.

I want to highlight one of the successful agencies in Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District: the Northern Tier Community Action Corporation.

Northern Tier Community Action has served a four-county region in my district since 1966, covering more than 3,000 square miles and serving thousands of individuals annually. They operate a highly successful Head Start program, providing education, health, nutrition, and social services to families with young children who otherwise may not be able to access these services in these rural communities.

Northern Tier also provides housing assistance to families facing imminent loss of their existing housing or who are currently homeless, and they help connect low-income individuals to everything from food to energy assistance.

While agencies like Northern Tier are successful at leveraging CSBG dollars, we can and must do more to make these dollars go even further. Unfortunately, the CSBG program has not been reauthorized in nearly three decades. The program, while successful, needs some modernization to allow agencies the ability to tap their full potential and better serve families and communities.

This program has a strong history of bipartisan support because of the great work it enables, which is why I continue to be a proud partner with my friend, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, on championing recent reauthorization efforts. Several provisions would make the program significantly stronger, including expanded eligibility and an increased authorization to make sure these funds can serve those most in need. It is also critical that community action agencies maintain local control over planning and activities and avoid a top-down, one- size-fits-all approach.

I am also excited about the possibility of a new broadband navigator program within CSBG to respond to the broadband and digital needs of low-income families and communities.

It is time for Congress to renew our Nation's commitment to reducing poverty by reauthorizing the community services block grant program.

I am grateful for the National Community Action Foundation and the community action agencies across the country that serve those most in need every day.

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