E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 143 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1997 No. 9 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 4, 1997, at 12:30 p.m. Senate WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1997 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was schedule for today's session. This PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR called to order by the President pro morning, the Senate will be proceeding Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, I ask tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. to executive session to begin 30 min- unanimous consent that Melody Fennel utes of debate on the nomination of and David Hardiman be permitted PRAYER Andrew Cuomo to be Secretary of privileges of the floor during consider- The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John Housing and Urban Development. All ation of the pending nomination. Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: Senators should expect the rollcall The PRESIDENT pro tempore. With- Almighty Lord, the same yesterday, vote to begin on that nomination at out objection, it is so ordered. today, and forever, You have been our approximately 10 a.m. this morning. Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, I rise help in ages past and are our hope for Following that vote, the Senate will today to support a native New Yorker, years to come. The sure sign of an au- begin a period of morning business to a fellow New Yorker, Andrew Cuomo, thentic relationship with You is that allow Senators to introduce legislation to be Secretary of the Department of we believe in the future more than the and make statements. Housing and Urban Development. I am past, and that our previous experiences The majority leader has also an- pleased that the Senate Banking Com- of Your grace are only a prelude to nounced that it is possible today the mittee reported Mr. Cuomo's nomina- Your plans for us. Senate will begin debate on the nomi- tion yesterday by a unanimous vote. I Give us a fresh burst of enthusiasm nation of William Daley to be Sec- am privileged to support the confirma- for the next stage of the unfolding retary of Commerce. However, the roll- tion of a native New Yorker, particu- drama of the American dream. Infuse call vote on that nomination is not ex- larly one who has done so much in the our souls with vibrant patriotism, en- pected to occur until tomorrow and all area of housing in such a relatively ergize our efforts with the power of Members will be notified accordingly. short period of time. I commend Mr. Your spirit. You have made politics a f Cuomo for his record of public service, high calling. In response we commit EXECUTIVE SESSION first as an advocate for the homeless, our time, effort, and resources to the The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under and second in terms of his stewardship sacred service of formulating public the previous order, the Senate will now as Assistant Secretary for Community policy in keeping with Your will for go into executive session to consider Planning and Development at HUD. our beloved Nation. May all that we do the nomination of Andrew Cuomo to be Since 1993, the Secretary has success- and are today be so obviously an ex- Secretary of Housing and Urban Devel- fully presided over an annual budget of pression of Your truth, righteousness, opment. nearly $10 billion, encompassing a wide and justice for our Nation that we can f diversity of housing, community, and press on with the confidence of Your economic development programs. He blessing. In the name of our Lord and NOMINATION OF ANDREW M. has shown innovation, insight, and Savior. Amen. CUOMO OF NEW YORK TO BE tireless efforts to serve our cities, sub- f SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND urbs and rural areas. He has done so in URBAN DEVELOPMENT RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING a way that has avoided partisanship MAJORITY LEADER The assistant legislative clerk read with an eye toward giving to many of the nomination of Andrew M. Cuomo of those who would otherwise not have The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The New York to be Secretary of Housing the opportunity for good, safe, afford- acting majority leader is recognized. and Urban Development. able housing. That is his record as it SCHEDULE The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The relates to the private sector in provid- Mr. COATS. Mr. President, on behalf able Senator from New York is recog- ing transitional housing for the home- of the majority leader I announce the nized. less. · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S779 S780 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE January 29, 1997 It is not good enough, Mr. President, I do not think it is going to be an Mr. Cuomo's activities in the realm to simply say, ``Let's build a shelter, easy job to get additional resources of housing and urban development temporary, for the homeless,'' and given the fact that the inspector gen- prior to his joining the Department at bring them off the streets and leave eral has indicated that there are some the beginning of the first Clinton ad- them in a situation that during the very severe problems that exist at ministration demonstrated the initia- day, or when the weather is not in- HUD. There are serious problems ahead tive and innovation that he has clement, they go back out into the that the new Secretary and the Con- brought with him to the Department. community and wander around aim- gress are going to have to deal with. He created HELP, a homeless assist- lessly. We cannot then think the com- HUD faces a fiscal crisis. Hard choices ance organization that is now the Na- munity has met its obligation, its are going to have to be made. tion's largest provider of transitional moral and ethical responsibilities to This really calls upon all of us, in- housing for the homeless. He also de- those peopleÐwhen we take them back cluding the Secretary under his leader- veloped the alternative approaches to in during inclement weather but again ship, to work together to ensure that urban revitalization and community discharge them. our Nation's most needy, particularly development that led to the founding Mr. Cuomo, as a young man in 1986, our senior citizens, are not going to be of the Genesis project, a program that founded and served as president of jeopardized as a result of this fiscal cri- has created partnerships between State Housing Enterprise for the Less Privi- sis that we are facing. Again that crisis and local governments and the private leged, known as HELP. HELP is a pro- is going to be upon us sooner rather sector to provide affordable housing. vider of housing which uses a strategy than later. It will be with us this com- Mr. Cuomo has put this past experi- to move homeless people from the ing October. streets to transitional housing with In conclusion, Mr. President, I again ence and the vision connected there- supportive services to deal with the say that after a very thorough nomina- with to work over the past 4 years as number of problems that these families tion hearing, and Mr. Cuomo meeting HUD Assistant Secretary for Commu- may have, like drug addiction and alco- with just about every Banking Com- nity Planning and Development. His hol addiction. HELP was a model for mittee member, the committee unani- achievements during this period in his approach to homelessness that he mously voted for his confirmation. I that office were many. This morning, I utilized at the Department of Housing look forward to a successful confirma- want to underscore three achieve- and Urban Development. HELP is pro- tion of Andrew Cuomo so that we can ments, in particular, that indicate his viding assistance for over 4,000 people begin to work toward our mutual goals promise as he takes on the larger chal- each year. of improving access to housing in all of lenge of stewardship of the entire De- His grassroots background working our Nation's communities. partment of Housing and Urban Devel- in communities, not coming in opposi- I strongly urge my colleagues to ap- opment. tion and thrusting a program upon the prove this confirmation, and I applaud First, I want to commend Mr. community, but working with the com- the President for choosing Andrew Cuomo's administration of the HOME munity and the private sector, has Cuomo and designating him to be our Investment Partnership Program. helped provide him with the insights next Secretary of HUD. Chairman D'AMATO and former housing that I think are so necessary in order Mr. President, I yield the floor. subcommittee chairman, Senator Alan for us not to have a department that Mr. SARBANES addressed the Chair. Cranston, were very much involved in looks down upon the cities and the The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The establishing the HOME program. When States and the communities, but in- able Senator from Maryland is recog- the Clinton administration arrived, the stead works with them in partnership. nized. relatively new HOME program was Mr. President, let me suggest the De- Mr. SARBANES. I thank the Chair. moving slowly, seemingly mired in reg- Mr. President, I join my colleague, partment of Housing and Urban Devel- ulation. Mr. Cuomo took the initiative the chairman of the Banking Commit- opment needs a lot of work. It needs to in eliminating those regulations that tee, Senator D'AMATO of New York, in be improved.