Support HOPE VI

SUPPORT HOPE VI -- (House of Representatives - January 17, 2008)

(Mr. CUELLAR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. CUELLAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3524, the HOPE VI Improvement Reauthorization Act of 2007. I commend Representative Waters and the members of the Financial Services Committee for supporting a bill with such valuable enhancement and improvement to the HOPE VI grant program.

This legislation reauthorizes a program that represents one of our government's best efforts to provide quality housing for low-income families. Again, I am particularly pleased with one provision of this legislation that will help communities rebuild in the wake of severe natural disasters and emergencies.

For example, in my congressional district there is one particular county public housing unit in Starr County that has been destroyed by flood waters when it rose to dangerous levels. This was not the first time the Housing Authority of Starr County has had to manage severe flooding damage and subsequent resident displacement. In fact, since 1981, this public housing unit has experienced major unit-destroying flooding seven different times.

This legislation gives the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development the latitude to waive the public housing authority's fund-matching requirements in cases of extreme distress and emergency.

This is a good piece of legislation. I ask for support of this legislation.

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