Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008
Floor Speech
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - July 24, 2007)
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I asked for time simply to have a discussion with Mr. Turner, if I might, regarding his amendment.
Mr. Turner, in ancient history I had the privilege of chairing this subcommittee, and during those early years I was very, very concerned with what was happening within the total housing programming, what happens to the money as it flows to communities, et cetera. The focus then was upon section 8 housing. I will never forget my trip to New Orleans to try to see what was happening with money we sent there over a lot of years to the Housing Authority. I met with the Inspector General in the offices of the FBI to discuss what I had seen and some of my concerns. The FBI guy who was there listening to our conversation was heard to say, Congressman, if you really want to get a handle on this, I would suggest that one of the things that you might do is put enough money into the Inspector General's office so you can have a full-time inspector general here in New Orleans, for this fellow flew in from Houston to talk with you today.
I heard a while ago that there had been added monies to the Inspector General's office since Katrina. I have no idea what that means in terms of the real volume, et cetera, but I do perceive that there is an ongoing problem across the country.
So this discussion, or my reason to talk with you, is I admire very much what you're about. I would hope also, as you go about it, that you work very closely with the chairman and ranking member about finding another source of money. The issue is a very important one, but I'm not certain just how well off the Inspector General is.
I yield to the gentleman.
Mr. TURNER. I certainly appreciate your description of the needs for the Inspector General. And I support, of course, the chairman's description of searching for additional offsets for this in order to find additional monies for housing counseling. And in that, I'm certain that after the amendment passes the House, that there would be a great deal of effort by the chairman in conference to seek, perhaps, an additional offset where the Inspector General amount could be restored.
But as you have heard from so many of the Members that are here, this is an issue that strikes at the very heart of the fabric of our neighborhoods and our families. I have so many families who have come to me to tell me the stories of what they have experienced. There are nonprofit organizations in my community who are every day working with families who have faced this issue of foreclosure, and they want to know that we support the services that are being provided to them and that might be available to them.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Reclaiming my time, let me say that it is my intention to support the gentleman's amendment. I would urge the chairman to consider doing the same as we search for an offset somewhere else. But in the meantime, the issue is a critical issue. It is spreading across the country like wildfire. We are going to see an awful lot more of this challenge, not less of this. So I appreciate the gentleman's effort.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
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