Skip to main content

Rep. Waters Speaks on CBC Budget and the Progressive Caucus Budget

August 4, 2009
Floor Statement
Rep. Maxine Waters [D-CA]:Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Mr. Scott for the tremendous effort that he has put forward to help develop this CBC alternative budget.

   We have before us perhaps the most important piece of legislation that we will vote on all year; the budget resolution that sets forth the priorities this House will pursue for the remainder of the year.

   I am very pleased to join with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to present an alternative budget, a budget that is wise, prudent, responsible and balanced. I have many concerns, deep concerns with health care, education, criminal justice elements of the resolution. But I think I want to focus my time on housing and community development, given my position as the chair of the subcommittee that bears that name.

   We have all witnessed the instability of our economy in the face of turmoil directly resulting from the housing and mortgage market. Incredibly, at a time when we should be focusing more resources on this area, the President's budget slashes programs that provide housing and supportive services to our country's poorest disabled and elderly households. It starves the local housing authorities of funds they need to sustain and modernize public housing stock, and once again seeks to cripple the Community Development Block Grant program.

   Specifically, the President's budget reduces funding for HUD 202 supportive housing for the elderly by 27 percent. If enacted, this cut would leave funding for this program at a level 40 percent below its fiscal year 2001 appropriations. The CBC adds $300 million to the President's request to rectify this cut.

   There are a number of other cuts, but let me draw your attention to the proposed elimination of the HOPE VI program, which the House of Representatives recently voted to reauthorize on a bipartisan vote of 271-130. The CBC budget adds $1 billion to restore this program.

   Let me also bring to your attention a cut in the Community Development Block Grant program of $657 million and a zeroing out of the section 108 Loan Guarantee program. If enacted, the President's budget would culminate a multi-year attack on CDBG that could put the program at a funding level of about one-half of its appropriation in fiscal year 2001.

   I ask support of the CBC budget. I believe that all of America would be served well by this budget.

   I would like to thank Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey for their leadership on the Progressive Caucus and for all of the work that they do, not only putting this alternative budget together, but the leadership they have provided to this Congress and trying to get this Congress moving in the right direction and representing all of the people.

   I certainly did not want to take my time responding to the gentleman from Wisconsin, but we need to understand the definitions. When he talks about raising taxes, what he's really talking about is the fact that both of these budgets, the Congressional Black Caucus budget and the Progressive Caucus budget simply will eliminate the tax giveaways to the richest corporations in America. And that's what he calls raising taxes, the very people who are responsible for getting us in this sub-prime mess that we are in now where we have people who are losing their homes to foreclosures.

   Having said all of that, I have already spoken about my support for the Congressional Black Caucus. And I'm offering today my very, very strong support for the Progressive Caucus budget.

   Many of the priorities are the same in these two budgets, including vastly increasing funds for housing and community development, veterans education, health programs, and energy independence. I strongly support these increases.

   As I said, when I talked about the Congressional Black Caucus budget, they had eliminated HOPE VI, a program that would provide decent housing for the most vulnerable people in our society in a responsible way. They tried to reduce the CDBG program, the program that goes to these small cities and to these towns that are using them for infrastructure and helping senior citizens and youth. And this budget would put the money back in to make them continue to be credible programs.

   Let me talk a little bit about the economic stimulus. The components of the economic stimulus package included in the Progressive Caucus budget, for which we have been advocating for many weeks now, are certainly needed to help those Americans hardest hit by the worsening economic situation.

   Most importantly, stimulation will come from increased funds for housing assistance and community development. The economic downturn came from the devastating housing market, and that is where we need to focus our resources.

   The Progressive Caucus also targets unemployment, insurance, food stamps, FMAP and health care aid and large infrastructure projects in each of our States to invest in our cities and create new jobs. With well-founded fears of a recession being discussed at dinner tables across the country, these investments are absolutely necessary to support our constituents and stimulate our economy.

   The Progressive Caucus also focuses on cutting the fat from our bloated Pentagon budget. Our military is still preparing to fight the Cold War against the USSR. I won't go any further than that.

   I thank the gentlewoman for the time, and I'd like to express my support for the Progressive Caucus.

 

###