Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2786, Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 633 provides for the consideration of H.R. 2786, the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007, under an open rule with a preprinting requirement. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate controlled by the Committee on Financial Services. The rule tables H. Res. 595, H. Res. 596, H. Res. 613, and H. Res. 614.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule and in support of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorizaton Act of 2007. This is an open rule that allows for any germane amendment to be offered to this bill, as long as it is preprinted in the Congressional Record. I am pleased to see seven amendments were preprinted in the Record, and it is important to note that six of these are Republican amendments.

I commend my colleagues Chairman Frank, Ranking Member Bachus, Housing Subcommittee Chair Waters, Housing Subcommittee Ranking Member Biggert, and the members of the Committee on Financial Services for their hard work and for this excellent bill. I also want to commend the bipartisan efforts of Congressmen Kildee, Cole, Pearce, Boren and Renzi for their tireless work on this bill and on Native American issues overall.

H.R. 2786 takes a critical step in addressing Native American housing needs. By providing desperately needed reforms, this legislation allows Native American communities to put roofs over the heads of its neediest members.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2786 increases flexibility and independence within the tribal housing authorities to best meet the needs of their individual communities. This legislation ensures safety and quality of housing by allowing Native American tribes to set aside up to 15 percent of their grant funding for housing rehabilitation, construction and acquisition. Increased efficiency within housing authorities means more affordable housing for more low-income families.

In addition to guaranteeing available and quality housing, H.R. 2786 allows tribes discretion in tailoring block grant funding to their community. Tribes will be able to compete for a greater variety of available grants and attend educational seminars from the Department of Housing and Urban Development on how best to utilize funds and programs.

Currently, the cost to rent a house or apartment is at an all-time high across the United States, and the wages people earn have not kept up with the increases in housing, food, transportation and other basic necessities. Having shelter for you and your family, a decent place to live, is not a luxury. It's a basic human need that everyone requires and deserves.

Too many people face the choice every day between paying the rent or being able to put food on the table or buying medicine for a sick child. That simply should not be happening in America.

Once again, I commend the efforts of the House Financial Services Committee, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2786, the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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