Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Chairman, I want to associate myself with the remarks of my colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), who talked about the underfunding of so many important programs in this bill but, in particular, of the Community Development Block Grant program.

When we talk about our national security, it means more than the number of missiles that we possess, and it means more than the number of military bases we have overseas. It means as well--and just as importantly--many of the priorities that are contained in the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill.

That is why it pains me to come to the floor today to lament about how woefully underfunded key transportation, infrastructure and housing programs are in this bill--programs that revitalize our communities, help our neighbors secure affordable housing, and support smart economic development.

The bill, as it is before us today, simply put, is unfixable at its current allocation level. There are programs like the HOME program, which is at its lowest funding level in its history. Just so my colleagues understand, the HOME program is a critical Federal investment utilized by States and localities to provide affordable rental and homeownership opportunities for low-income households. As we recover from a damaging recession, these cuts in this program will put further strain on affordable housing opportunities.

This bill also severely underfunds tenant-based rental assistance, project-based rental assistance, and the Public Housing Capital Fund. I continue to hear from housing advocates in my home State of Massachusetts, and their message is consistent and clear: we need more funding in these accounts to ensure that all families have access to affordable, comfortable, and stable housing.

The families that we're talking about aren't losing sleep overnight wondering whether they're going to be attacked from some country overseas. They're losing sleep overnight because they don't know whether they're going to have shelter to protect their own families. They're worried about their own security in this country, and yet we are underfunding these programs so significantly.

I'm especially concerned, as my colleague from Pennsylvania stated, about the proposed reduction in Community Development Block Grant funding. This bill cuts CDBG formula grants by nearly 50 percent and funds this program at its lowest level since its creation in the 1970s.

In April, I joined with 143 bipartisan Members on a programmatic request letter to appropriators in support of $3.3 billion for this program. In July, after the subcommittee's legislation was released, 101 bipartisan Members wrote to the Appropriations Committee again expressing support for effective funding levels. There is demonstrated bipartisan support for Community Development Block Grants, Mr. Chairman, because these dollars are at work in communities in each of our districts.

Last week, Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts announced that 38 communities in Massachusetts will receive over $31 million in CDBG funding. These dollars will fund housing rehabilitation, child care centers, cityscape improvements, and social services, just to name a few. I also want to point out that every $1 in Community Development Block Grants leverages an additional $3.55 in funding to revitalize our communities. Investing these Federal dollars in our cities and in our towns spurs redevelopment efforts and provides a high return on our investment. These funds also create and save jobs. Since fiscal year 2005, these funds have created or retained over 300,000 jobs. If my friends on the other side of the aisle are serious about job creation, CDBG is not the place to cut.

Realizing the need for effective funding, the Senate appropriations bill funds the program at $3.15 billion. So, should this bill go to conference, Mr. Chairman, I would urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject these cuts in the House bill and support robust funding for Community Development Block Grants, a program with a proven record of supporting community development efforts across our country.

Let's stop these reckless and harmful cuts to our communities. We ought to be on the floor today fixing sequestration. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle should be on the floor today appointing conferees on the budget so that we can negotiate more reasonable allocations on these appropriations bills.

I would remind my colleagues that this is not some abstract debate that we're having here today on the floor. These cuts will hurt real people. They will pave the way for more deterioration of our cities and towns. They will cost jobs and they will hurt our economy. Enough is enough. We're supposed to be helping people, not hurting people. It's time for Congress to get its priorities straight.

I urge my colleagues to support the CDBG program, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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