Comprehensive Legislation for Katrina Aid

The Digest Pages of the Congressional Record for 07 March 2007 lists:

Landrieu Modified Amendment No. 295 (to Amendment No. 275), to provide adequate funding for local governments harmed by Hurricane Katrina of 2005 or Hurricane Rita of 2005.

Congress is crafting Comprehensive Katrina Legislation, and Catholic Charities is paying attention.

Congress Crafting Comprehensive Katrina Legislation

Last week, Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chair of the U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, presided over two hearings on housing in the Gulf Region. Jim Kelly, Executive Director of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, testified to provide an overview of the redevelopment of public housing neighborhoods in New Orleans. Members of Congress in attendance also toured public housing complexes to better understand the extent of the hurricanes' damage to HUD-assisted housing.

Following the hearings, Congress used information presented to craft “The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007” (H.R. 1227). The bill would include a number of important policy improvements, including freeing up funds to help homeowners rebuild; requiring HUD to reopen public housing and to provide voucher assistance for more affordable housing; and providing tough oversight over state housing assistance plans.

Because of the complex nature of the bill, several House Committees with jurisdiction over housing, tax issues and disaster relief are working together to create this comprehensive legislation. Mark-up of the bill is scheduled for March 6th.

For a complete list of provisiohttp://www2.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifns in the bill, please contact Ruth White, Director of Housing and Community Development, at rwhite@catholiccharitiesusa.org.

Catholic Charities reported that in its 02 March 2007 (Volume 2, Number 8) Washington Weekly email, a publication of the Social Policy Department of Catholic Charities USA and is published regularly when Congress is in session.

It is located at
Catholic Charities USA,
1731 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
socialpolicy@catholiccharitiesusa.org
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