Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 106 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 106 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 145 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1999 No. 140 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Monday, October 18, 1999, at 12:30 p.m. Senate FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1999 The Senate met at 9:15 a.m. and was lic for which it stands, one nation under God, RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME called to order by the President pro indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. f the previous order, leadership time is reserved. PRAYER RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING f The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John MAJORITY LEADER Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AF- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Almighty God, we commit this day FAIRS AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEWINE). The Senator from Idaho. to You. By Your grace, You have DEVELOPMENT, AND INDE- brought us to the end of another work- f PENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIA- week. Yet there is still so much more TIONS ACT, 2000ÐCONFERENCE to do today. There are votes to cast, GREETING THE CHAPLAIN REPORT speeches to give, and loose ends to be Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, let me tell The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under tied. In the weekly rush of things, it is you how comforting it is to have our the previous order, the Senate will now so easy to live with ``horizontalism,'' Chaplain, Lloyd Ogilvie, returning to resume consideration of H.R. 2684, dependent only on our own strength us in good health and to hear his words which the clerk will report. and focused on what others can do for and the spiritual guidance he offers the The bill clerk read as follows: us or with us. Today, we lift our eyes Senate. Conference report to accompany H.R. 2684, to behold Your glory, our hearts to be We are to happy to have Lloyd an act making appropriations for the Depart- filled with Your love, joy, and peace, Ogilvie back. ments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and and our bodies, worn with the demand- Urban Development, and Independent Agen- f ing schedule of the past week, to be re- cies for the year ending September 30, 2000. Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I plenished. SCHEDULE Fill the wills of our soul with Your want to extend my congratulations and strength and our intellects with fresh Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, today the thanks to both Senators BOND and MI- inspiration. We know that trying to Senate will immediately proceed to a KULSKI for the conference report they work for You will wear us out, but al- vote on the conference report to ac- are presenting us today. This bill lowing You to work through us will company the VA±HUD appropriations makes constructive strides toward im- keep us fit and vital. Now, here are our bill. Following the vote, the Senate proving the housing situation for many minds, enlighten them; here are our will immediately resume debate on the poor and low income working families. souls, empower them; here are our campaign finance reform bill, with fur- Though the Chairman and Ranking wills, quicken them; here are our bod- ther amendments to the bill antici- Member were under extremely tight ies, infuse them with energy. You are pated. Debate on the campaign finance budgetary constraints, they stood to- our Lord and Savior. Amen. bill is expected to consume the remain- gether and worked hard to bring us a f der of the day and will continue conference report which restores im- throughout the early part of next portant funding. They have presented PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE week. However, Senators who intend to us with a strong bill that invests in our The Honorable SPENCER ABRA- offer amendments are encouraged to nation's low income housing stock and HAM, a Senator from the State of work with the bill managers to sched- continues our efforts to aid struggling Michigan, led the Pledge of Allegiance ule a time for debate on those amend- communities in their redevelopment as follows: ments as soon as possible. efforts. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the I thank my colleagues for the atten- It is my understanding that this bill United States of America, and to the Repub- tion. moved forward with the support of · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S12655 . S12656 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE October 15, 1999 members from both sides of the aisle. I the necessary funds to improve those its authority under the conflict of in- think that the Chairman and Ranking developments. Senators BOND and MI- terest requirement and undertake an Member should be commended for this KULSKI's bill takes the important and independent review of the financing as well. It is notable when legislation necessary action of increasing the pub- proposals. This could be accomplished, receives such even handed, bipartisan lic housing operating fund by $320 mil- for example, by having the housing fi- support. lion. I look forward to seeing and hear- nance agency submit all lenders' pro- Let me highlight a few of the pro- ing about the new and positive im- posed financing packages to HUD and grams that received increased funding provements that will occur as a result include a statement justifying its posi- in this year's appropriations bill. of this new funding. tion on the recommended financing. It includes 60,000 new section 8 I will continue in the years to come This independent review will allow the vouchers to be used in our nation's to press for an increased commitment best financing alternative to be used most needy areas. I cannot express how to housing programs that serve our na- for restructuring and will allow lenders important these new vouchers are to tions' working and low income fami- to compete on a level playing field. addressing the needs of low income lies. Overall, the bill we are presented Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, I regret Americans. As the economy soars, so with today is a good bill, with funding that I must vote against this con- do rents in many metropolitan areas, for many vital housing programs. ference report. Once again, I have the making it nearly impossible for low in- Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, in 1997, unpleasant task of speaking before my come families to afford an apartment. Congress created the Mark-to-Market colleagues about unacceptably high A recent report by the Low Income program, which was designed to pre- funding levels of parochial projects Housing Coalition shows that in no serve the affordability of low-income throughout this bill. In addition, the metropolitan area in this country can rental housing and reduce the long- conferees have included several legisla- a person working at a minimum wage term costs to the Federal government. tive provisions that were not in either job forty hours a week afford the rent The program is designed to restructure bill, nor were these initiatives consid- on an average two bedroom apartment. the mortgages for HUD insured prop- ered by either the House or Senate be- There are 5.3 million families that erties so that they can be supported by fore they were summarily added to this HUD classifies as ``worst case housing market based rents. bill. Therefore, despite the fact that needs.'' These are families that live in Under the Mark-to-Market program, the bill contains funding for many pur- substandard housing or pay more than HUD enters into agreements with poses which I strongly support, I op- 50% of their income towards rent. State and local housing finance agen- pose its passage because of these objec- Sixty thousand vouchers will not help cies, as well as a limited number of pri- tionable provisions. all of these families, but they are an vate firms, called Participating Admin- This bill, in total, contains more important step in the direction of alle- istrative Entities or PAEs. The PAEs than $700 million in low-priority, viating poverty and will be enthusiasti- underwrite and recommend the finan- wasteful, and unnecessary spending. cally received by the families that ben- cial restructuring of these properties. This is an unacceptable waste of the efit from them. Under the agreement, the PAEs deter- taxpayers' hard-earned money, and I Also included in this bill is funding mine rent levels, how much of a new will not be a party to Congress' pork- for the important mark-to-market plan mortgage the property can support barrel spending habits. that will allow HUD to raise section 8 with those rents, and how much of a I very much regret having to oppose payments to prevent landlords from second mortgage HUD will have to hold a bill that contains critical funding for opting out of the program. In addition, on the property in order to ensure that programs for our Nation's veterans. the bill exempts the old preservation the restructuring is economically fea- I would like to point out that I ac- deals from restructuring, which saves sible. The program also allows the tively supported adding $3 billion for money and housing. These two provi- housing finance agencies to provide fi- veterans medical health care in this sions are important to preserving af- nancing for the new first mortgage on year's appropriations bill. I cospon- fordable housing in our nation's com- the property, even though they have sored several amendments introduced munities.