Posted on 11/05/2008 2:34:24 PM PST by dervish
Honorable Rahm Emanuel U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Hearing on FY2004 HUD Budget March 5, 2003
I’d like to thank Chairman Oxley for holding this important hearing on the Fiscal Year 2004 HUD budget. I also appreciate that our distinguished guest, HUD Secretary Mel Martinez, has taken the time to share his views with us on this topic.
Before my election to Congress, I was fortunate to serve as Vice-Chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority and as a Freddie Mac Board member. In those capacities, I saw firsthand the teamwork between public and private entities that’s required to make affordable housing available to hardworking families. When a family is able to build equity in a home, they’ve taken the first step on the road to creating a solid financial foundation. My home city of Chicago has succeeded in developing affordable housing programs because of the commitment of the city government agencies, Mayor Daley's office, private sector entities like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and many other state and local organizations. Programs like City Mortgage, New Homes for Chicago, HouseChicago and the Chicago Homeowners Assistance Program have been successful because of the commitment of public and private sector entities to community building. However, despite the successes we have had, much remains to be done, both in Chicago and around the country. That’s why I’m so disappointed in the Administration’s FY2004 budget proposal.
Although I disagree with many of Mr. Bush’s proposals, I’m hopeful that this hearing will be the start of a productive dialogue on affordable housing issues. We Democrats are ready to work with the Administration; but at the same time, we won’t stand idly by and allow President Bush to pull up the ladder of opportunity on our low-income families and their communities.
I’d now like to touch on a few specific concerns I have with the FY04 HUD budget:
I am also dismayed to hear that HUD continues to fund public housing at only 70% of its operating expenses. I’ve spoken to the leaders of several public housing agencies regarding this matter, and they told me this action will result in layoffs, cuts in services, and delays in the preparation of rental units for re-lease. I commend my colleagues, Mr. Frank and Ms. Waters, for their recent request of Secretary Martinez to honor HUD’s commitment to raise the level of Operating Fund assistance for public housing authorities to at least 90%.
Perhaps the most egregious proposal in the HUD budget is the rent increase for our poorest families--public housing and Section 8 recipients. The Administration's proposal requires all public housing and Section 8 recipients to pay rent of at least $50 a month. This means that our most destitute families face rent increases of $600 or more per year. It’s unconscionable for the Administration to crack down on the very poorest people in the United States while at the same time proposing huge tax cuts for those who need them the least.
Finally, the proposed HUD rule on “faith-based” organizations raises many more questions than it answers. The proposal confers special rights on religious organizations; namely, the right to engage in various forms of federally-funded employment discrimination that other HUD grantees can’t do. The Administration has acknowledged that some forms of discrimination are allowed and implies that some other kinds would not be. Yet, they have refused to add explicit anti-discrimination clauses to the proposed rule. As a result, many of these issues will have to be litigated. In fact, the Justice Department is already on the case for the Administration, issuing interpretations stating that such discrimination is both permissible and constitutional. Aside from the issue of overt discrimination, the Administration hasn’t addressed other key questions arising under the proposal. As we all know, Mr. Bush’s budget proposals will stretch an under funded HUD even thinner. So how does the Administration propose to fund this new proposal? How will they monitor compliance? Won’t this program take resources away from the administration and oversight of other HUD programs? These are just a few of the issues that have not been addressed. Once again, I extend my thanks to Secretary Martinez for appearing before this Committee. I firmly believe that we can frankly state our differences and still have a constructive dialogue. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration as we continue our efforts to make affordable housing a reality for our families and communities.
Change Oui can believe in.
There are no evil Democrats. Didn’t you get the memo?
Rahm Emmanuel, Jamie Gorelick, Jim Johnson, and Franklin Raines, all Democrats and all associated with the Clinton administration. But, ooooh noooo...the MSM won’t even mention their names.
I hear Comrade Zero is also bringing back Clintonista, John Podesta.
Wow. Some changes. I guess he meant change back.
This is another aspect the media covered up. Those who ran Freddie/Fannie and stole all the money were mostly Democrats. They lied,stole and cheated and now we need to demand that they be jailed like others have but that will never happen.
It’s making my Hellary scenario from this morning all the more plausible if he keeps surrounding himself with Clintonistas.
at the risk of sounding like saul alinsky, this guy needs to be
destroyed. he is pure evil and apparently, is planning his
own run for presidency down the road. he is a frightening
individual.
And the American people still cannot figure it out.
McCain made a half assed attempt to tie Obama to the Freddie/Fannie shenanigans.
What a change! What a feelgood feeling! It must be making Chris Matthew's leg tingle!
ping a ling
Doesn’t matter.
Ethics are only valid for Republcian Admistrations according to Drive Bys. Backgrounds be dammed for the incoming Democrat admistration.
Didn’t we learn that in the 90’s???
It won’t be long before O starts up the “Renaissance Weekends” again with all the liberal intelligentsia and hollywood friends. Oprah will probably do the planning.
Recycled trash. He’s there to make sure the truth doesn’t get out.
We are rapidly becoming a society where laws have no meaning. Bush’s refusal to investigate criminals in congress has made them bolder. Now, they have another friend in the WH that will look the other way.
And those who can’t string two sentences together will never figure out the connection between Barack Obama and the collapse of our economy with his buddies.
Rahm also served in the army of a foreign country, which should be grounds for deportation in a sane world.
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