Save Community Development Block Grants

SAVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS -- (House of Representatives - March 17, 2005)

(Mr. CLEAVER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my opposition to the administration's budget proposal.

Although the Community Development Block Grant Program is now on its way out if this is approved, I think it is important for the Nation to know that on August 22, 1974, the Community Development Block Grant Act was signed into law by Republican President Gerald Ford, but it is the brain child of President Richard Nixon.

Today, there is a proposal that would allow for a consolidation of 18 other programs in the Department of Commerce, and the new commerce program would then be funded at a level that is 35 percent lower than the combined fiscal year 2005 appropriated level for all 18 programs.

The pro-rata reduction of CDBG alone would be $1.42 billion. That would devastate a program, Mr. Speaker.

When I was mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, we identified 60,000 homes in need of rehabilitation or repair. We were able to complete 12,000. What will happen to the 48,000 others?

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