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

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

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Floor Schedule and Procedure

• H.R. 1227 - Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007 (Rep. Waters – Financial Services):  The House will complete consideration of this bill, and consideration will proceed in the following order:

• Debate and votes on amendments to the bill.
• Neugebauer Amendment (60 minutes)
• Price (GA) Amendment (20 minutes)
• Possible debate and vote on a Republican motion to recommit the bill.
• Vote on final passage of the bill. Democrats are urged to vote YES on final passage.

• Suspension Bills (eight):  Today, the House will consider eight bills 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.R. 835 - Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunity Act of 2007 (Rep. Abercrombie – Financial Services)

2. H.R. 327 - Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act (Rep. Boswell – Veterans’ Affairs)

3. H.R. 797 - To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve compensation benefits for veterans in certain cases of impairment of vision involving both eyes, and for other purposes (Rep. Baldwin – Veterans’ Affairs)

4. H.R. 1284 - Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2007 (Rep. Hall (NY) – Veterans’ Affairs)

5. H.R. 1130 - Judicial Disclosure Responsibility Act (Rep. Conyers – Judiciary)

6. H.R. 545 - Native American Methamphetamine Enforcement and Treatment Act of 2007 (Rep. Udall (NM) - Judiciary, Energy and Commerce)

7. H.R. 740 - Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement (PHONE) Act of 2007 (Rep. Scott – Judiciary)

8. H.Con.Res. 66 - Permitting the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust (Rep. Waxman – House Administration)

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

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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