Chief Deputy Whip
Rep. Diana DeGette
DeGette is a fourth generation Coloradoan, educated at Denver's South High School and Colorado College. Read More...

The Daily WhipLine

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

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Floor Schedule and Procedure

• Suspension Bill: Today, the House will consider one bill on the Suspension calendar.  Bills considered on the Suspension calendar are debatable for 40 minutes; may not be amended; and require a two-thirds vote for passage.  If a recorded vote is requested, it will be postponed.

1. H.Con.Res. 42 -  Honoring the heroic service and sacrifice of the 6,500 glider pilots of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II (Rep. McCarthy – Armed Services)

• H.Res. 254 –  Rule to provide for consideration of H.R. 1227, Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007 (Rep. Welch – Rules):   Next the House will consider a structured rule for consideration of H.R. 1227.  The rule provides for one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Financial Services, or their designees.  It provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services now printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in Part A of the Rules Committee report, shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole.  The bill as amended shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of further amendment and shall be considered as read.  The rule makes in order only those seven amendments printed in Part B of the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution. Furthermore, it provides that the amendments made in order in Part B may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.  Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.  Debate on the rule will be managed by Rep. Welch (VT) and will proceed in the following order:

• One hour of debate on the rule.
• Possible vote on the Democratic motion to move the previous question.  Democrats are urged to vote YES.
• Vote on adoption of the rule. Democrats are urged to vote YES.

• H.R. 1227 - Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007 (Rep. Waters – Financial Services):  One hour of debate on the bill will be managed by Financial Services Chair Barney Frank, or his designee, and consideration will proceed in the following order:

1. One hour of debate on the bill.
2. Debate and votes on amendments to the bill.
3. Possible debate and vote on a Republican motion to recommit the bill.
4. Vote on final passage of the bill. Democrats are urged to vote YES on final passage.

• Postponed Suspension Bill:  At some point today, a roll call vote will be taken on the following bill:

1. H.R. 759- To redesignate the Ellis Island Library on the third floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, located on Ellis Island in New York Harbor, as the "Bob Hope Memorial Library." (Rep. Engel – Natural Resources)

Bill Summary and Key Issues

H.R. 1227 – Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007

Expediting Housing Assistance & Cutting Red Tape.  H.R. 1227 includes many provisions designed to improve flexibility for previously appropriated funds for hurricane recovery efforts on the Gulf Coast.  The bill would free up for use $1.175 billion in funds made available for use to the State of Louisiana under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, but which FEMA will not approve for use under its Road Home program.  The bill also would eliminate an unduly restrictive “duplication of benefits” provision that has resulted in homeowners in Louisiana receiving less than the funds they need to rebuild under the Road Home Program, while instating a prohibition against anyone receiving a “windfall gain” under that program. The bill would eliminate a provision from a prior supplemental funding bill prohibiting CDBG funds from being used as a match for any other federal programs.  And, the bill would expedite the handling of loss claims for lenders in the case of FHA insured 1- to 4-unit properties where there are problems with the conveyance of title.
 
Preserving Affordable Housing.  H.R. 1227 includes a number of provisions designed to preserve the supply of affordable rental housing.  The bill would require HUD to give timely approval of all feasible requests to restore project-based rental assistance or transfer such assistance to another site, in the case of damaged or destroyed federally assisted housing developments.  The bill would authorize 4,500 new housing vouchers for the purpose of project based assistance for supportive housing units for seniors, disabled persons, and the homeless.  The bill would require HUD to provide a replacement voucher for every public housing and assisted housing unit that is not brought back on line.  The bill also would preserve the availability of affordable housing units in hurricane-affected areas by preventing the sale of public housing units without preserving long-term affordability requirements.  It would condition demolition of public housing units on providing alternative housing units for residents of the units being demolished and on replacing such units either with other public housing or comparable units that are affordable.  Specifically, the bill would require the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) to survey pre-Katrina residents to identify which residents want to return and when, and to provide public housing or comparable units to those residents that want to return, but in any case no less than 3,000 units by August 1st.  Funding is also authorized for repair, rehabilitation, and development of HANO public housing units.  In addition, the bill would authorize $10 million for Fair Housing activities, to ensure that housing activities in areas affected by Katrina and Rita are carried out in a manner that furthers fair housing.

Extending Duration of Voucher Program.  Faced with a looming September deadline for the cutoff of some 12,000 families currently receiving Disaster Voucher Program (DVP) assistance, H.R. 1227 would extend this deadline through at least the end of the year, and would authorize replacement vouchers to affected families when the program terminates.  The bill would also provide a clarification that HUD should make adjustments in the voucher formula funding allocation changes made in the Continuing Resolution, so that Gulf Coast housing agencies will not be adversely impacted by the Hurricanes. 

Reimbursing Communities and Landlords that Assisted Evacuees.  The bill would authorize funding for reimbursement of localities that used their own CDBG funds to provide rental housing assistance to such evacuees.   The bill also would authorize reimbursement to landlords who participated in the FEMA Section 403 program under which local communities co-signed private lease agreements – but who suffered financial losses arising from FEMA subsequently breaking their agreement to provide reimbursements under this program.

Anticipated Amendments to H.R. 1227

Brown, Corinne (FL): The amendment would provide those receiving housing vouchers with additional comparable funds for utilities. - 20 minutes

Brown, Corinne #2 (FL): The amendment would extend two deadlines for residents to indicate their intent to return as well as two reoccupancy deadlines: October 1, 2007 and December 1, 2007. The amendment would also require HANO/HUD to assist tenants with negotiating early termination of their current leases. - 20 minutes

Hensarling (TX): The amendment would require recipients of rental assistance under the bill to perform 20 hours per week of approved "work activities." Approved activities include work, preparation to find work, vocational education, community service, and providing child care services. Exemptions are provided for senior citizens, the disabled, those already exempt from TANF work requirements, and those who cannot access child care. - 20 minutes

Biggert (IL): The amendment would require that, instead of replacing all pre-Katrina public housing units, only the number of public housing units occupied pre-Katrina be replaced. - 20 minutes

Green, Al (TX): The amendment would extend FEMA housing assistance for evacuees of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma until December 31, 2007 and provide tenant-based rental assistance upon termination of FEMA housing assistance. - 60 minutes

Neugebauer (TX): The amendment would strike section 306, which authorizes funds for eligible families to continue receiving voucher assistance after the termination of the Disaster Voucher Program. - 60 minutes

Price, Tom (GA): The amendment would strike section 103, which eliminates the prohibition of use for match requirement. - 20 minutes

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