Community Development Block Grants

Floor Speech

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shed light on the importance of the Community Development Block Grant Program. This program provides urban communities with vital resources needed to address a wide range of community development needs, growing local economies, and improving the quality of life for low- and moderate-income citizens.

Since the start of the program, the Community Development Block Grant program has invested over $135 billion in local economies by helping families, creating jobs, supporting businesses, improving infrastructure, and providing housing to many Americans who are in need.

The program has provided the great State of Texas with over $60 million in direct grants this year alone, with over $28 million going to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Funding for this program is vital to the constituents of the 33rd Congressional District. It has assisted homeowners with rehabbing their homes, providing downpayment and closing cost assistance to qualified home buyers; funded public improvements; provided public services, including employment training, meals and services to the elderly.

The appropriations bill up for vote this week cuts the fiscal year 2014 budget for these grants nearly in half. This is the lowest level of funding in history. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' and save this important program.

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