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Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I am interested in withdrawing the amendments, yes. What my general question is, as the gentleman knows, one of my amendments deals with section 8 housing which I know this committee has worked very hard on. The other amendments have to do with technology and Historically Black Colleges and minority colleges and the importance of those institutions having access to technical training. My simple question would be is that this subcommittee on appropriations, VA, HUD and other agencies, has in its mind and in its focus that these issues will remain important issues as we move toward finalizing this bill and that these issues are important in the committee and will not be forgotten, if you will.
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Mr. WALSH. I thank the gentlewoman for continuing to yield. I think in this bill, we have really made an effort to make sure that Historically Black Colleges, Hispanic Serving Institutions and other minority programs are part of the focus of the National Science Foundation. I think there has been some criticism, and it is somewhat due, that the larger, better established research institutions around the country, the colleges, have benefited substantially. Certainly the country has benefited from that research, also.
But there has been a tradition on this subcommittee, beginning with Chairman Lou Stokes, to make sure that some of these resources are provided, that we encourage those institutions that I mentioned to expand their research capacity. I know the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. MOLLOHAN) has been a strong and consistent voice for these, also. We will always do that, and we would always welcome the gentlewoman's input as to whether or not we are meeting the goals that we have set.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentlewoman's time has expired. The remaining time is controlled by the gentleman from New York.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word, and I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. JACKSON-LEE).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding. I believe we can all work together for these important issues. Training of our young people; providing funding for these colleges is very important; housing is very important. With that as I had asked, I hoped that we would waive the point of order, but I think it is more important for us to find common ground.
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my colleague's amendment to appropriate an additional $662 million for the National Science Foundation's education and human resources account, to be used for training young scientists and engineers.
There is a pressing need for this level of funding, particularly as it relates to minority scientists and engineers. Recent reports have cited the ``brain drain'' as our current pool of scientists and engineers prepare to retire. Furthermore, it is clear that America's youth are not being prepared to pursue the rigorous disciplines associated with the hard sciences. American students perform comparably to other children in foreign countries in math and science until they reach the fourth grade level. However, there is a serious drop-off in their achievement and competitiveness in later years.
For minority students the case is even worse. Funding the NSF with increased resources will prepare communities and our nation to respond to the intellectual and real world challenges that await the engineers and scientists of the future. I urge my House colleagues to vote yes on this amendment.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw these four amendments.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the amendments are withdrawn.
There was no objection.
AMENDMENT NO. 36 OFFERED BY MS. JACKSON-LEE OF TEXAS
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 36 offered by Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas:
Page 54, after line 6, insert the following new section:
SEC. 208. The amounts otherwise provided by this title are revised by increasing the aggregate amount made available for ``PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING--HOUSING CERTIFICATE FUND'', increasing the amount specified under such item for incremental vouchers under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, reducing the amount specified under such item for rescission from unobligated balances remaining from funds previously appropriated to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, increasing the amount made available for ``COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT--COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND'', and increasing the amount specified under such item for the community development block grant program, by $100,000,000, $100,000,000, $324,000,000, $224,000,000, and $224,000,000, respectively.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order against the gentlewoman's amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman reserves a point of order.
Pursuant to the order of the House of July 27, 2001, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. JACKSON-LEE) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. WALSH) each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. JACKSON-LEE).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me explain the purpose of this amendment, which is to add dollars, $100 million, to increase the community block grant programs. This goes to a continuing issue that we are confronted with in Houston, Texas, based upon the devastation of Tropical Storm Allison.
First of all, let me rise in support of the $1.3 billion that the committee has put in for additional funds for FEMA. Let me thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. WALSH) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. MOLLOHAN) for protecting those dollars. We are in desperate need around the country. There are 31 disaster sites around the country. We do not know how many more may come about, because we are in hurricane season. I thank them particularly for the recovery that Houston is going through.
What we are beginning to face is a shortage of housing because many people are facing the determination or the assessment of the condition of their homes as to whether or not they can be built or rebuilt or not. We are in what we call the ``buyout program'' that FEMA has which requires a complicated process of percentages of whether or not your house has been damaged or not damaged and whether or not you can have the opportunity to rebuild your house. In many instances, there is a need for down payment dollars or dollars to initiate the program. The programs are being designed at this point by Harris County government, and the city of Houston is assessing their status as to whether or not they will be participating in the buyout program. I simply wanted to have enough dollars for flexibility in this community development block grant program that if the city were to engage in participating in these programs, it would have the dollars to do so, any cities, to do so.
My amendment provides for funding so that the many disaster areas that may have lost housing and have to participate in a buyout program would have the resources through the flexibility of the community development and buyout program.
Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment that provides $50 million in funding for the Housing and Urban Development's Community Block Grant program from the HUD Section 8 Housing Certificate Fund.
As many of you know, last month Tropical Storm Allison ravaged our nation from Texas to the Northeast. This storm has been particularly hard on the residents of Harris County and the city of Houston. Although words cannot even begin to describe adequately the destruction of Houston and its surrounding areas, I will attempt to describe for you some of the havoc that the storm has wreaked.
The more than three feet of rain that fell on the Houston area beginning June 6 has caused at least 23 deaths in the Houston area and as many as fifty deaths in six states. Over 10,000 people have been left at least temporarily homeless during the flooding, many with no immediate hope of returning to their homes. More than 56,000 residents in 30 counties have registered for federal disaster assistance. The damage estimates in Harris County, Texas alone are $4.88 billion and may yet increase.
Some of the most hard hit areas include the University of Houston, Texas Southern University, and the Kashmere Gardens neighborhood, a Houston enclave that is predominantly low income and possesses the fewest resources needed to bounce back from this once in a lifetime event.
The devastation of single family, mobile homes and multi family homes is almost unbelievable. It is estimated that in the city of Houston, 1,067 were destroyed, 5,098 need major repairs and 24,182 need minor repairs, for a total of 30,347 homes affected. In Harris County, it is estimated that 2,429 homes were destroyed, 4,545 need major repairs and 6,826 need minor repairs, for a total of 13,800.
Of the multi-family housing units in the city, 56 units were utterly destroyed, 150 need major repair and 672 need minor repairs. All totaled, over 3,500 homes were destroyed and nearly 10,000 need major repairs.
FEMA is bringing in trailers as temporary housing for some of those who are now homeless. A new staging site for travel trailers has
been secured, and FEMA has received 441 travel trailers. There are currently 138 travel trailers occupied. I met with FEMA several weeks ago to request this relief for the multitudes of Houstonians that have been left
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The city and county are working diligently with FEMA and SBA to provide grants and loans for home buyout and repair. However, these funds fall short of what the county and city need to help its residents.
For example, through its buyout program, called the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, FEMA provides only government entities 75 percent of the buyout expense. Harris County and Houston must pay the rest, as the state of Texas has declined to lend financial assistance toward this effort. Further, the total eligible buyout funds are only 15 percent of FEMA's estimated total disaster costs.
Moreover, after closing costs and moving expenses, the local governments' buyout share may end up closer to half of all expenses for buyouts. Estimates are that the repair and buyout of homes may cost $200 million or more. The local governments and low and moderate-income residents will scarcely have the resources to meet their expenses.
FEMA does also provide a limited source of funds to individuals and families to be used not only for essential home repair, but also to purchase destroyed clothing and other needed personal property, as well as to meet necessary medical, dental, transportation, and even funeral expenses. However, the average grant is only five to six thousand dollars, hardly enough in many cases to achieve the recovery that is needed. Therefore, I seek additional HUD Community Development Block Grant funds to be used to help supplement our local governments meet their obligations to their residents in need.
CDBG provides eligible metropolitan cities and urban counties with annual direct grants that they can use to revitalize neighborhoods, expand affordable housing and economic opportunities, and/or improve community facilities and services, principally to benefit low- and moderate-income persons.
Since 1974 CDBG has been the backbone of improvement efforts in many communities, providing a flexible source of annual grant funds for local governments nationwide-funds that they, with the participation of local citizens, can devote to the activities that best serve their own particular development priorities, provided that these projects either (1) benefit low- and moderate-income persons; (2) prevent or eliminate slums or blight; or (3) meet other urgent community development needs. The CDBG Entitlement Communities Program provides this Federal assistance to almost 1000 of the largest localities in the country.
As one of the Nation's largest Federal grant programs, the impact of CDBG-funded projects can be seen in the housing stock, the business environment, the streets and the public facilities of these entitlement communities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing has traditionally been the largest single use of CDBG funds.
Recipients of CDBG entitlement funds include local governments with 50,000 or more residents, other local government designated as central cities of metropolitan areas, and urban counties with populations of at least 200,000 (excluding the population of entitled cities). Local governments may carry out all activities themselves or award some or all of the funds to private or public nonprofit organizations as well as for-profit entities.
Low and moderate-income persons, generally defined as members of a family earning no more than 80 percent of the area median income, benefit most directly and most often from CDBG-funded activities. Grantees must use at least 70 percent of CDBG funds for activities that principally benefit low- and moderate-income persons. This includes activities where either the majority of direct beneficiaries such as housing rehabilitation low- or moderate-income persons.
Grantees may use CDBG funds for activities that include acquiring real property (primarily land, buildings, and other permanent improvements to the property) for public purposes. This type of activity might include, for example, buying abandoned houses for rehabilitation or an old industrial site in a distressed neighborhood for redevelopment. CDBG also helps communities demolish property and clear sites to prepare the land for other uses.
These funds can also be used for reconstructing or rehabilitating housing and other property from homeless shelters to single-family homes and from playgrounds to shopping centers, CDBG enables communities to improve properties that have become less usable, whether due to age, neglect, natural disaster, or changing needs.
The committee has recommended a rescission of $886 million for the Section 8 Housing Certificate Fund, stating that it is one of several programs that has built up a substantial balance of unspent funds. It is attempting to take these funds out of HUD until the programs spend the funds it has on hand. Well, I say, let HUD keep these funds and put them to a desperately needed use. This amendment will merely put those funds to a direly needed use.
Hence, I will be requesting in conference that this CDBG money be earmarked for the desperate needs of the homes devastated by Tropical Storm Allison, particularly in Houston and Harris County.
The people of Houston have made extraordinary efforts and acts of heroism during this disaster, as we recognized when we passed H. Res. 166 by a vote of 411-0. Houston contributes significantly to our national economy, as energy capital of the nation and a renowned center for medical care, and scientific and academic research. FEMA and SBA's efforts have been praiseworthy, contributing significant financial assistance and other much needed support. But to return to our potential, Houston needs to know that Congress continues to support its recovery. Although I look forward to this Chamber supporting Representative Delay's request for $1.3 billion in emergency contingency funding for FEMA, even if we approve these funds, their release would still be up to the administration.
The flood has devastated us emotionally, physically and financially. To return to our potential, we still need help. Houston needs to know that Congress continues to recognize. Now, it is our turn to continue to make sure that we do our share to help them.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Just briefly, the subcommittee has done its level best to provide additional section 8 housing vouchers. In fact, we have 34,000 new section 8 vouchers in the bill. As we have discussed earlier, this is a very tight allocation. There are really very few other places to go within the bill to move money from one account to another.
Since this increase certainly is well intended but there is no offset provided, I would obviously continue to reserve my point of order.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
[Time: 19:30]
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In conclusion, this is such an important issue for us, I totally agree and believe that the committee has been as fair as it can possibly be. I would argue that there is such an emergency and such a need for assistance in this housing program and giving flexibility in additional dollars, I would argue and ask that the point of order be waived and the amendment be allowed to go forward.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
POINT OF ORDER
The CHAIRMAN. Does the gentleman from New York (Mr. WALSH) insist on his point of order?
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order against the amendment because it is in violation of section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The Committee on Appropriations filed suballocation of Budget Totals for fiscal year 2002 on July 26, 2001, House Report 107-165. This amendment would provide new budget authority in excess of the subcommittee allocation made under section 302(b) and is not permitted under section 302(f) of the Act.
I ask for a ruling of the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN. Does the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. JACKSON-LEE) desire to be heard on the point of order?
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, my simple point on this amendment is that I think it is important that the idea of being able to assist flood victims is only at this time. I appreciate the fact that we have received additional dollars in FEMA. The housing represents an enormous crisis. Simply, Mr. Chairman, I would ask that the point of order be considered waived in light of the emergency nature of the request.
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