Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005
FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE REFORM ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - October 26, 2005)
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Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the measure before us today. Specifically, I stand in this House to condemn the language in this bill which would prohibit faith-based organizations, our churches, my church, our temples and synagogues and mosques, from helping the homeless by providing housing for the thousands of families in this country who are either homeless or in shelters or forced to live in substandard housing.
Under the express terms of this manager's amendment, nonprofit groups that engage in voter participation activities will be prohibited from applying for a grant under the affordable housing fund. I am frustrated as well with the whole process here because my friend and colleague from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) was denied the opportunity to offer an amendment to strike these egregious provisions.
In this day and age when we are beset by major crises such hurricanes Katrina and Rita and Wilma, which have destroyed literally hundreds of thousands of homes across the southern part of this country, it is no time to shackle the hands of our nonprofit, faith-based organizations from doing what Americans have always taken pride in, and that is helping their neighbor.
While like most Members I deeply respect the separation of church and State in matters of worship and the freedom to practice religion without government influence, there has always been in this country a recognition, at least until now, that we have faith-based institutions; and when they have sought to provide basic assistance, such as food for the hungry and health care for the sick and elderly and housing for the homeless, free of any effort to persuade or proselytize, they are in the business of solely reducing suffering, and we have recognized the goodness in that.
That would end today if the manager's amendment succeeds. We would have a departure in this country from that long tradition, and for those reasons I oppose this bill.
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