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Generations Invigorating Volunteerism And Education Act

Floor Speech

By: Al Green
By: Al Green
Date: March 20, 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Education


Generations Invigorating Volunteerism And Education Act

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Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, Gandhi reminds us that we should be the change we wish to see.

I want to thank the President, President Obama, for sounding the clarion call for volunteerism such that we can see this change that we all desire to have in our country. I would like to thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon for answering the clarion call from the President with this bill, H.R. 1388.

This is a good piece of legislation. And, if I may be so bold as to say so, we are doing, Mr. Chairman, God's work today. This is what we are called upon to do, to be our brother's keeper, and we can do so by utilizing this army of volunteers to go out and make the change we wish to see in society.

Mr. Chairman, I especially thank you for including language in this legislation that will allow volunteers to help in the area of housing. You know and we know that we have an affordable housing crisis. We have lost more than 600,000 units in affordable housing since the mid-1990s that are subsidized. It is time for us to restock our affordable housing. These volunteers will help us to do so.

I will close with this. I thank you and all of the Members who have supported this legislation, and I trust that Gandhi would be proud of us today because we are affording people to transform neighborhoods into brotherhoods, and to make sure that we can see the change in our society and bring it about by virtue of our own hands and our creation.

The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I yield the gentleman 10 additional seconds, and I want to thank the gentleman for bringing the housing language that is based upon his expertise in this field, and along with Maxine Waters, thank you so very much. We are happy to include it.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I thank you again, Mr. Chairman, as well as Chairperson Waters and Chairman Frank.

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