Recognizing National Homeownership Month

Floor Speech

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Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is with great enthusiasm that I support H. Res 502, recognizing June as National Homeownership Month and the importance of homeownership in the United States.

Since the founding of this great nation, homeownership has been fundamentally tied to the American Dream. However, the right to own land or a home has not always been an inclusive one--for many generations homeownership was denied to communities of color and women. While we have taken great strides to rectify past injustices, much remains to be done, which reflects the importance of this resolution.

Owning a home represents much more than a roof and walls to protect one's family from the elements, or a space to raise a family. A home is the single most valuable asset one can own, and the wealth it can generate over time is crucially important for rising out of poverty. This reason alone, reflects the irrevocable damage that the foreclosure crisis is inflicting on our communities.

The bursting of the housing bubble and the economic crisis have resulted in the loss of countless American homes; countless dreams have been disrupted, and countless Americans are now struggling to deal with the ramifications of the actions of greedy, dishonest businesspeople more focused on personal gain than on truly honoring the dream of homeownership.

We now find ourselves at a critical point in American history. The housing and financial markets are undergoing fundamental changes; and while the Administration and this legislative body continue to work to implement programs to sustain homeownership, we must not forget those of us who are still working to realize the dream of owning their own home.

I firmly believe that homeownership should be a dream realized by every responsible American, and believe that we should continue to work to provide opportunities to make those realizations possible.

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