Providing for the Concurrence By the House in the Senate Amendment to H.R. with Amendment

Floor Speech

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6644. I thank Ranking Member Waters and Chairman Hill for including my language on cooperative housing developments and oversight of monitors and receivers of public housing authorities.

Cooperatives provide more than 1.5 million families with financially stable housing across the United States and are a critical source of homeownership. Unfortunately, however, they are often excluded from Federal housing programs.

Explicit recognition in this bill will ensure that cooperatives can access the bill's benefits and continue to remain a critical component of our affordable housing stock.

Additionally, my language requiring Federal monitors and receivers of PHAs to provide annual testimony and written assessments to Congress will ensure Congress is coordinated and providing struggling PHAs with the resources they need to improve their operations and conditions. It will also help ensure effective use of the taxpayers' money.

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Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, finally, let me say that this bill is a much-needed first step. It is not the entire answer. We must all recognize that we still need substantial monetary investments in housing programs to ensure effective development and reconstruction of the units we need.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

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