ACTION ALERT
An Up-to-the-Minute Briefing on
Crucial Issues
For NAHRO-Member Housing Authorities and CD Agencies
November 11, 2003
NAHRO Action Alert:FY 2004 Appropriations
Contact your Senators and Representatives
to Support FY 2004 Housing and Community Development Funding
As the House and Senate move toward final negotiations regarding
FY 2004 appropriations, NAHRO encourages members to join the fight to provide
adequate funding for housing and community development programs. We recommend
that members contact their senators and representatives to voice support for
funding levels and provisions that protect these vital programs.
This alert contains information about the timing of appropriations
actions, identification of key players in the upcoming negotiations, contact
information for representatives and senators, NAHRO's recommendations, and NAHRO
staff contacts.
While the Senate has not yet completed
its work on the FY 2004 bill, "pre-conference" negotiations on the
final VA-HUD bill are underway now.These negotiations will largely determine
the final outcomes of the bill. These negotiations will continue until a final
version of the bill is adopted, but it is critical that you make your views
heard as soon as possible. Contact your representatives now to voice your concerns
and ask them to contact key negotiators to support your positions.
As you contact Congress, please keep us in the loop. E-mail us
at actionalert@nahro.org
Timing of Appropriations Action
Whether as a stand-alone bill or as part of an omnibus appropriations
act combining several bills, the VA-HUD bill will be resolved shortly.Congressional
leaders are trying to wrap up all appropriations bills by the 18th
of November.While the Senate has not yet completed
its action on the FY 2004 bill, "pre-conference" negotiations on the
final VA-HUD bill are underway now.These negotiations will continue until a
final version of the bill is adopted, but it is critical that you make your
views heard as soon as possible. It is critical that you contact your representatives
now to voice your concerns and ask them to contact key negotiators to support
your positions.
For the latest news on FY 2004 appropriations process, check NAHRO's
appropriations news website at:http://www.nahro.org/legislative/programs/budget/index2003.cfm
How to Get Involved
Call or write to your Members of Congress and Senators to express
your views.Calling your representatives' Washington offices will ensure
that your message reaches key legislators immediately.If you would like
to see more detailed talking points on 2004 appropriations, see NAHRO's FY 2004
Appropriations Talking Points document available at www.nahro.org/action/2003/1111points.pdf.
If you would like to use a NAHRO sample letter, an MS word version
is available at: http://www.nahro.org/action/2003/1111Sampleletter.rtf
("right click" on link then "Save Target As..."). Personalize
it and fax or e-mail a copy of the letter to your representatives'
Washington offices (due to security concerns at the Capitol, electronic media
are the most efficient methods to reach Congress).
Encourage your community to advocate with you!Housing
and community development funds touch many in your community --- assisted families,
local advocates for low-income families, elected officials. Agency commissioners
are an important link to the community.Encourage others in your community
to join in advocating for adequate funding.Share this alert and supporting
materials with partners in your community.
Key Negotiators and Contacts
Appropriations Committee leaders in the House and Senate have
taken the lead in negotiating the final VA-HUD package. Full Committee chairs
and ranking members are influential in the process.However, the Chairs
and Ranking Members of the House and Senate VA-HUD and Independent Agencies
Appropriations Subcommittee are the primary negotiators.Committee leaders are:
Senate
Appropriations Committee (full):
Chairman - Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Ranking Member - Robert Byrd (D-WV)
VA-HUD Approps. Subcommittee:
Chairman - Kit Bond (R-MO)
Ranking Member - Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
House
Appropriations Committee (full)
Chairman - Bill Young (R-FL)
Ranking Member - David Obey (D-WI)
VA-HUD Approps. Subcommittee:
Chairman - James Walsh (R-NY)
Ranking Member -Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
If you are represented by a member of the subcommittee leadership, ask them
to support your positions in the final bill.
If you are contacting any other member of congress, ask
them to contact the Chairmen and Ranking Members of their respective VA-HUD
Subcommittees (Reps. Walsh and Mollohan in the House, Senators Bond and Mikulski
in the Senate) to advocate for your positions.If you are represented
by a member of the House or Senate party leadership or another member of the
appropriations committee (Speakers, majority/minority leaders, whips), please
ask them to contact subcommittee leaders.These members can be particularly influential.
House Contact Information:
Senate Contact Information:
Find Your Representatives and Senators:If you are unsure
who your representatives in Washington are, this link will connect you to a
site that will locate them for you using zip code information.http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
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Key Issues and Recommendations
We expect that final negotiations will revolve around the House
and Senate versions of the VA-HUD bill that we have already seen:� HR 2861 in
the House and the Senate Appropriations Committee-passed version of S. 1584.�
NAHRO has developed a detailed side-by-side analysis comparing the two bills
and stating NAHRO�s recommended conference position.� Please feel free to share
this side-by-side analysis with your representatives in Washington.� The side-by-side
is available online at: http://www.nahro.org/members/news/2003/oct/side2.pdf�
(Note:� If the full Senate passes a substantially revised version of S. 1584,
NAHRO will update this side-by-side).
Key Issues:� The following are the most critical points to
emphasize with your Congressional representatives. When you contact your
representatives, ask them to support or advocate for the following positions:
These requirements, plus emerging evidence of available prior
year funds, indicate that HUD will likely have the resources and the direction
necessary to fund all vouchers in use at either the House or Senate appropriations
renewal funding levels.The continued success of the voucher program depends
on landlords, local housing agencies, and families all having the confidence
that vouchers are a reliable means of securing affordable housing.
In contrast, the Section 8 language of the House-passed bill
(H.R. 2861) provide less certainty for voucher renewal funding and exerts
a chilling effect on the leasing activities of highly leased agencies, which
threatens to reduce the number of families served by well over 10,000 vouchers.
The House bill will also result in dramatic cuts in administrative fees necessary
to operate the program, reduce services to low-income families by restricting
use of those fees, and give HUD the discretion to redistribute over $1 billion
in federal funds without further study or input from stakeholders.
For more information on overleasing, including state-by-state
House impact totals, see the NAHRO overleasing study, at: http://www.nahro.org/members/news/2003/oct/29_DN_s8.cfm
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Public Housing:Conferees should provide at least $2.7 billion
for the Public Housing Capital Fund and $3.6 billion for the Public Housing
Operating Fund.Set-asides should be funded elsewhere.In addition,
HUD should make operating funds available for utility adjustments owed to
agencies.Congress should not make any changes in the Operating Fund formula
in the FY 2004 Appropriations bill. Congress should provide at least
$195 million to continue the HOPE VI program through the reauthorization
period.
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Economic and Community Development:Congress
must restore funding for the Section 108 Loan Guarantee and EZ/EC programs.The
CDBG and HOME programs should be funded at levels of at least $4.96 billion
and $2.064 billion, respectively. These resources are critical to
revitalizing communities and stimulating local economies.All set-asides
from these programs, including the American Dream Downpayment Initiative
(ADDI), should be funded separately and ADDI funds distributed through the
HOME formula.
NAHRO Staff Contacts and Resources
See the NAHRO Appropriations
Page for the latest news and appropriations resources such as detailed funding
comparision and the appropriations side-by-side containing NAHRO recommendations.
NAHRO staff contacts for additional information on appropriations:
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