Transportation, Housing And Urban Development, And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - July 24, 2007)

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Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Obey, Subcommittee Chairman Olver, and Ranking Members Lewis and Knollenberg. I also would like to thank them especially for their leadership.

Mr. Chairman, we understand that budgetary constraints are necessary and that budget challenges are a reality, just as invidious discrimination in housing is a reality. This is why Congress passed the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination not just on race, color and national origin, but also on religious, sexual status, disability and familial status. However, nearly 40 years after the passage of this act, 4 million fair housing violations occur annually, tens of thousands of complaints are filed, and most violations aren't investigated.

Violations occur in the rental market when qualified renters are denied housing based upon invidious discrimination. Violations occur in the purchase market when qualified buyers are denied loans, pay more for loans, or are steered to the subprime market when they qualify for prime loans.

This is why we need to fund the Fair Housing Initiative Program to the level authorized of $26 million. The Fair Housing Initiative Program allows for testing. This will allow us to have persons who are equally qualified, perhaps one is disabled and one is not, to go out and seek a loan or a rental property. If the disabled person is denied, and the person that follows who is not disabled receives the loan or the property, then we are gathering the empirical data necessary to show that the discrimination exists.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would add $5.82 million to the bill to bring it to the $26 million authorized level.

Mr. Chairman, the need is there, the authorization exists, and the time to act is here. Let us keep the American dream alive for all persons who are qualified. Let's do our part on our watch to prevent invidious discrimination in housing.

I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.

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Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment because it is a good amendment, and HUD's language is bad language.

Mr. Chairman, since 1997, this program has assisted literally nearly 1 million families with down payment assistance. In my district alone, it has helped more than 600 families. This program is a privately funded down payment assistance program. I think that is important for us to highlight, a privately funded down payment assistance program.

Yes, there is some concern with reference to the appraisals, but that can be amended and fixed by way of a program similar to what the VA has. The VA has a blind pool appraisal process. With a blind pool appraisal process, you can get the appraisals that are fair market value, and you will save the program that has helped so many families.

This program is viable. It helps community development. It is meaningful. It helps needy buyers. It is workable. It can work through HUD, and it is achievable without this language. I suggest that my colleagues vote for it. Let's save this program. Let's vote for this amendment.

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